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THE  ILLUSTRATED  POCKET  LIBRARY 
OF  PLAIN    AND   COLOURED   BOOKS 


THE   NATIONAL  SPORTS 
OF   GREAT   BRITAIN 


This  Edition  is  Ufnited  to  Fifty  Copies  i?i  the 
United  States  of  Ainerica 


THE  NATIONAL  SPORTS 
OF  GREAT  BRITAIN 

By    henry   ALKEN 

fifty  engravings 

WITH    DESCRIPTIONS 


A   NEW  EDITION 


NEW    YORK 
D.  APPLETON   &   COMPANY 

1903 


NOTE 

'T^HIS  Issue  is  founded  on  the  Edition 
published  by  Thomas  M'Lean  in  the 
year  1825.  It  is  entirely  different  from 
the  National  Sports  in  Folio  published  by 
Thomas  M'Lean  in  the  year  1823 


LIST    OF   THE    PLATES 


I. 

Race  Horse. 

2. 

Racinc 

,— Training. 

3- 

Saddling. 

4- 

Preparing  to  start. 

5- 

Off! 

6. 

Doing  their  best. 

7. 

Going  to  weigh. 

8. 

The  H 

UNTER. 

9. 

Running  in  to  a  Stag. 

10. 

Fox  Hunting.— Earth  Stopper. 

II. 

Going  to  Cover. 

12. 

Breaking  Cover. 

13- 

Gone  away — Forward  ! 

14. 

Check. 

15- 

! 

Swishing  at  a  Rasper. 

16. 

Death.— Who  whoop  ! 

17- 

Running  in  to  a  Fox. 

18. 

J 

Digging  out. 

19. 

Fox  H 

unter's  Toast. 

20. 

COURSI 

NG— Going  out. 

21. 

Finding— Soho  ! 

22. 

HiLLOO  !    HiLLOO  ! 

23- 

Picking  up. 

24. 

Dead— DEAD. 

25. 

Going  home. 

26. 

Shoot  I 

NG— Going  out. 

27.  Pointers. 

28.  Setters. 

29.  Grouse  Shooting. 

30.  Partridge  Shooting. 

31.  Pheasant  Shooting 

32.  Fowl  Shooting. 
33'  Snipe  Shooting. 

34.  Bittern  Shooting. 

35.  Bank  Shooting  for  Fowl 
30.  Punting  for  Fowl. 

37-  Sledging  for  Fowl. 

38.  Poachers. 

39'  Ferreting  Rabits 

40.  Running  a  Badger  to  Bay. 

41.  Otter  Hunting. 

42.  Hunting  the  Martin 

43-  Anglers. 

44-  Fly  Fishing. 

45-  Prize  Fight. 
46.  Dog  Fight. 
47'  Cock  Fight. 

48.  Bull  Baiting. 

49.  Bear  Baiting. 

50.  Badger  Baiting. 


PREFACE 

IN  the  following  pages  we  submit  to  the 
inspection^  and^  we  trust,  approbation,  of 
the  Public,  a  Collection  of  new  and  original 
Drawings  and  Descriptions  on  most  of  the 
Sporting  subjects,  either  formerly,  or  at  present, 
in  vogue  in  Britain,  immemorially  distinguished 
and  celebrated  as  the  land  of  Sportsmen  ;  and 
we  embrace  the  usual  prefatorial  occasion  of 
tendering  a  few  lines  to  the  consideration  of  the 
reader,  on  the  real  merits  of  the  subject,  which, 
after  so  many  able,  amusing,  and  instructive 
predecessors,  we  have  thus  ventured  to  re- 
introduce to  public  notice. 

Man  was  not  intended  by  the  Creator  to  pass 
a  life  of  inaction  and  idleness  ;  on  the  contrary, 
the  most  active  duties  have  been  imposed  upon 
him,  by  nature  and  necessity.  The  pursuit  of 
wild  animals  must  be  necessary  to  human 
subsistence  in  the  early  stages  of  society,  hence 
man    is    naturally    a  Sportsman  ;    and   from    this 

/'  vii 


viii  PREFACE 

source,  with  the  stimulus  of  native  curiosity,  and 
desire  of  action  and  diversion,  originated  the 
system  universally  designated  as  Sport. 

But  our  present  business  is  with  Sport,  properly 
so  called,  the  diversion  and  amusement  of 
civilized  nations,  drawn  either  from  the  pursuit 
of  wild  animals  reserved  in  that  state,  expressly 
for  the  purpose,  or  from  witnessing  those  of  the 
domesticated  animals,  placed  in  certain  peculiar 
situations  of  action  or  suffering.  For  example, 
the  Chase,  —  Falconry,  —  Shooting,  —  Fishing,  — 
Horse-racing,  —  Baiting  —  and  the  Combats  of 
Animals;  also  teaching  them  a  variety  of 
performances,  in  order  to  discern  the  extent 
of  brute  sagacity ;  and  lastly.  Prize  -fighting, 
commonly  called  Boxing,  or  Pugilism,  between 
individual    champions  of  the  human  race. 

Nothing  can  be  more  evident  than  the  need 
and  propriety  of  sportive  diversions,  which  cheer 
the  animal  spirits  and  relax  the  mind  perpetually 
bent  on  the  serious  duties  of  life.  Especially 
necessary  are  they  to  the  far  greater  portion  of 
the  opulent  classes  whose  laudable  determination 
is  to  make  pleasure  a  business  since  they  have 
neither  the  need  nor  the  inclination  to  make 
business  a  pleasure.     Viewing  a  reasonable  share 


PREFACE  ix 

of  the  pleasing  dissipation  of  Sports  and  Pastimes 
as  necessary  to  the  exhiUration  and  recruiting  of 
man's  nature^  we  have  not  lost  sight  of  the  just 
claims  of  the  labouring  classes  ;  but  this  is  not 
the  proper  place  to  institute  an  enquiry,  whether 
in  such  respect,  our  labourers  of  the  present  day, 
will,  on  research,  be  found  on  terms  of  equality 
with  their  equals  of  former,  though  less  en- 
lightened ages. 

Field  Sports  and  Diversions  with  Animals, 
in  the  early  and  half-civilized  periods  of  the 
world,  were  necessaril}^,  like  the  people  them- 
selves, rude  and  barbarous.  There  did  not  exist 
sufficient  refinement  in  human  reason  to  prompt 
it  into  any  speculations  on  the  feelings  or 
sufferings  of  brutes ;  and  if  such  sentiments 
should  incidentally  have  arisen  in  the  minds  of 
Individuals,  they  were  stifled  in  their  birth  by 
all-controuling  custom.  Such  an  idea  as  pity 
for  the  sufferings  of  a  beast  could  scarcely  exist 
in  human  minds,  constituted  and  instructed  as 
they  then  were  ;  on  the  contrary,  animal  misery 
was  a  grand  and  favourite  source  of  pleasure,  and 
the  public  exposure  of  animals  to  the  most 
excruciating  tortures,  appears  to  have  been  one 
of  the  most  gratifying  exhibitions.      This  natural. 


X  PREFACE 

or  unnatural  tenclenc}^,  in  the  mind  of  man, 
which  he  shares  in  common  with  the  brutes  his 
victims,  and  which,  almost  the  highest  degree 
of  civilization  has  not  been  able  to  eradicate, 
has,  doubtless,  often  exercised  the  lucubrations 
of  the  moral  philosopher. 

detested,  dastard  sport, 


That  owes  its  pleasures  to  another's  pain  ; 
That  feeds  upon  the  sobs  and  dying  shrieks 
Of  harmless  nature,  dumb,  but  yet  endowed 
With  eloquence  that  agonies  inspire, 
Of  silent  tears  and  heart-distending  sighs  ! 

From  the  above  impure  source  are  to  be 
traced  the  thousand  disgusting  barbarities  of  the 
ancient  Chase.  Thence  the  origin  of  the 
abominable  exhibition  of  baiting  animals,  as  it 
has  been  styled,  of  witnessing  their  writhing 
and  suffering  under  the  most  horrible  inflictions 
which  human  ingenuity  could  invent — as  for 
example,  '  the  tortures  of  a  cat  in  a  glass  bottle/ 
which  Shahjieare  could  quote  without  a  com- 
ment !  Even  the  sensibilities  of  the  softer  sex 
were  dormant  on  this  subject.  Women  equally 
with  men,  even  those  of  the  most  exalted  rank, 
enjoyed  the  exquisite  pleasure  of  a  baiting,  as  we 


PREFACE  xi 

have  seen  in  the  examples  of  the  Queens  Marif 
and  Elizabeth.  Senators  also,  a  specimen  of  the 
collected  wisdom  of  the  time  and  country,  and 
the  prominent  examples  of  public  morality,  did 
not  neglect  these  favourite  exhibitions,  as  Evelyn 
has  borne  testimony,  who,  in  his  celebrated 
Diary,  records  that  in  the  year  1699,  a  bill  of 
great  consequence  was  lost  in  the  House  of 
Commons,  by  ten  votes,  so  many  friends  to  the 
measure  being  absent  to  see  a  tyger  baited  by 
dogs. 

This  unfeeling  state  of  the  public  mind  and 
manners,  with  respect  to  Animal  Diversions, 
continued,  although  in  a  somewhat  mitigated 
degree,  throughout  the  eighteenth  century.  In 
the  latter  end  of  the  reign  of  Anne,  the  atrocious 
spectacle  was  exhibited  at  Newmarket,  of  the 
famous  racer  Dragon,  castrated  at  starting, 
winning  his  race  over  the  Beacon  Course,  and 
dropping  dead  at  the  ending-post !  Much  of 
ancient  barbarism  still  remained  in  the  manners 
and  practices  of  our  Horse-coursers,  both  in  their 
methods  of  training  and  management,  and  of 
riding,  particularly  crossing  and  jostling  races, 
in  which  the  jockies  were  accustomed  to  fight 
on    horseback,    striking    each    other,    and    their 


xii  PREFACE 

respective  horses  with  their  whips,  and  aim- 
ing to  cut  out  their  antagonist's  eyes !  The 
barbarous  pubhc  spectacles  of  baiting  and 
tormenting  were  in  high  fashion,  and  flourished 
eminently  under  the  auspices  of  the  renowned 
hero  of  CuUoden,  and  his  minister  Broughtoii. 
But  a  change  Avas  then  silently  and  gradually 
taking  place  in  the  popular  mind.  Superior 
light  had  dawned  upon  human  reason.  The 
mental  faculties  were  at  length  warmed  and 
stimulated  into  action,  and  the  result  was  a 
discovery  that  the  feelings  even  of  brutes  ought 
to  be  respected.  Dr.  Johnson  in  the  Rambler, 
had  consigned  to  everlasting  infamy  the  horrible 
cruelty  practised  upon  the  race-horse  Dragon  ; 
and  several  meritorious  individuals  of  the  Church 
of  England  clergy,  attempted  to  stem  the  torrent 
of  cruelty  exercised  towards  animals  in  various 
ways,  but  more  particularly  in  the  case  of 
Bull-baiting. 

About  twenty-five  years  since,  a  proposition 
was  made  in  the  Philosophical  and  Practical 
Treatise  on  Horses  that  the  rights  of  beasts  should 
be  recognized  by  the  civil  government ;  that  they 
should  so  far  be  made  participators  in  the  social 
contract,  as  to  have  the  benefit  of  legal  remedy 


PREFACE  xiii 

in  the  case  of  unjust  and  undue  trespasses  on 
their  feelings.  The  idea  of  the  rights  of  cattle 
was  soon  after  successfully  ridiculed  on  the  stage. 
But  successful  ridicule  is  not  always  the  test  of 
truth.  If  it  be  unjust  and  immoral  to  treat  a 
beast  unfairly  and  cruelly^  it  results  as  a  conse- 
quence, that  the  beast  has  a  right  to  be  treated 
with  fiiirness  and  justice.  The  right  of  the 
beast  originates  in  the  moral  duty  of  the  rational 
man,  and  wherever  a  right  exists,  there  ought  to 
be  a  remecly.  In  the  above  work  a  practical 
discrimination  is  made  between  the  fair  and 
lawful  use  of  animals,  and  the  abuse,  whether 
with  regard  to  business  or  Sport,  and  the  most 
ample  scope  allowed  in  the  exercise  of  the  latter. 
To  this  material  point  we  have  adhered  in  the 
following  pages  ;  in  no  case  giving  up  the  fair 
and  lawful  rights  of  the  Sportsman. 

Since  that  period,  various  publications  have 
appeared  of  the  most  meritorious  character, 
in  the  same  moral  line.  All  the  world  knows  of 
the  humane  Lord  Erskines  bill,  and  its  unmerited 
fate  in  parliament.  But  these  united  exertions 
have  not  been  altogether  unsuccessful,  and 
ignorance  can  be  no  longer  pleaded  of  this 
essential  branch  of  moral  duty. 


0. 


m^'  m 


THE    NATIONAL    SPORTS 
OF    GREAT    BRITAIN 

THE  RACE  HORSE 

THE  Artist  has  presented  us  with  a  regular 
series  on  this  subject  so  interesting  to 
Englishmen,  through  the  usual  gradations,  from 
the  training  of  the  Racer  to  the  completion  of  his 
labours,  and  the  test  of  scales  and  weights ;  the 
definitive  verdict  of  which,  must  determine  his 
right  to  the  hard-contested  prize. 

To  jog  on  with  our  fellow-labourer,  but  in  far 
lighter  labours :  in  the  first  place,  what  is  this 
paragon  of  an  animal,  this  Racer,  in  modern 
times,  peculiar  to  that  paragon  of  Isles,  Britain — 
this  horse  so  distinguished  for  superiority  over 
all  others  on  the  face  of  the  habitable  globe, 
for  speed,  endurance,  solidity  and  toughness  of 
sinew,  and  ability  to  carry  weight  ?  He  is  of 
the  indigenous  species  of  Africa,  part  of  Asia, 
and  of  South  Eastern  Europe — of  Arabia  and 
I 


Barbaiy^  in  the  most  eminent  degree  of  ex- 
cellence. The  breeding  stock  of  these  comitries 
has  been,  during  upwards  of  two  centuries,  im- 
ported into  this,  for  the  purpose,  in  the  first 
instance,  of  racing  on  the  course.  The  original 
individuals  imported  never  could,  or  have  been 
able,  to  race  in  any  eminent  degree,  a  qualifica- 
tion to  be  acquired  for  their  immediate,  or 
more  remote  successors,  through  the  nutritious 
and  stimulating  provender,  and  superior  manage- 
ment of  the  breeders  and  grooms  of  this  Country. 
The  very  erroneous  notion  has  been  pro- 
pagated by  writers,  not  cm- fait  on  the  subject, 
and  currently  received,  that  the  English  running 
horse  is  of  a  mixed  breed,  between  the  south- 
eastern and  the  native  English  horse — by  such 
cross,  blending  the  speed  of  the  one,  with  the 
substance  of  the  other.  No  such  plan  w^as  ever 
pursued,  with  the  exception,  that  several  acci- 
dental crosses  have  occurred,  in  the  course  of 
time,  which  were  immediately  detected.  Our 
racers  have  acquired  their  great  size  and  sub- 
stance—  the  former  of  late  years  has  been 
excessive,  and  probably  disadvantageous  —  by 
virtue  of  constant  high  keep  from  the  state  ot 
foals.  In  general  acceptation,  no  horse  can  be 
a  reputed  racer  unless  thorough-bred  ;  that  is  to 
say,  descended  on  both  sides  from  the  pure,  un- 
mixed, foreign  blood.     There  certainly  have  been 


several,  but  rare,  instances  of  horses  seven-eighths 
bred  (a  term  introduced  by  Mr.  Lawrence),  which 
have  proved  capital  racers  ;  but  never  one,  so  far 
as  records  go,  below  that  degree.  Respecting 
terms  in  general  use — a  blood-horse,  means  a  nag 
with  a  show  of  blood  from  foreign  extraction,  in 
an  indeterminate  proportion  ;  a  half-bred  horse, 
one  from  a  common  English  mare  and  a  bred 
horse,  or  vice  versa ;  a  three-part  bred  one,  from 
a  racer  and  a  half-bred  mare  ;  seven-eighths  bred, 
from  the  racer  and  the  three-part  bred  mare  ; 
last,  or  rather  first,  the  thorough-bred,  or  bred 
racer  or  running  horse,  of  pure  unmixed  south- 
eastern blood.  For  information  at  large,  on 
these  topics,  and  the  subject  generally,  we 
refer  to  Mr.  Lawrence's  Philosophical  and 
Practical  Treatise  on  Horses,  and  to  his 
General  History  of  the  Horse. 

The  English  Racer  has  always  commanded 
great,  occasionally,  very  extraordinary  prices. 
The  Duke  of  Devonshire  refused  his  weight  in 
silver  for  Flying  Childers  ;  Mr.  Pigott  ten 
thousand  guineas  for  Shark;  O' Kelly  refused 
any  price  which  could  be  offered,  for  Eclipse, 
declaring  that  all  Bedford  Level  would  not 
purchase  him.  It  is  supposed  that,  as  a  racer 
and  a  stallion.  Eclipse  rewarded  his  proprietor 
with  full  thirty  thousand  pounds.  The  first  Mr 
Tattersall  gave  six  thousand  guineas  for  Highflyer, 


and  in  all  probability  made  twenty  thousand  by 
him  Sir  Charles  Bunbury  refused  a  very  heavy 
sum  for  Smolensko.  Mr.  Lambton  has  lately 
given  two  thousand  two  hundred  guineas  for 
Cedric. 


HI 


RACING 

TRAINING 

THE  general  management  of  the  Race-horse 
is  familiar  to  most  persons  of  this  country. 
He  is  broke,  or  bitted,  whilst  a  yearling,  and 
even  has  racBcl  at  that  early  age  ;  very  frequently 
at  two,  and  almost  universally  at  three.  His 
short  portion  of  unemployed  youth  is  spent  in 
fine  pasture,  with  an  allowance  of  corn.  Taken 
into  training,  he  treads  his  native  pastures  no 
more.  The  first  process  is  clearing  his  skin,  and 
clothing  him,  as  the  plate  represents.  It  should 
have  been  noted,  that,  for  obvious  reasons,  and 
with  few^  exceptions,  castration  can  have  no  place 
in  the  racing  stud.  Racing  stallions  are  destined, 
not  only  to  get  stock  for  the  course,  but  for  the 
perpetuation  of  that  transcendant  improvement, 
which  they  have  made  in  our  saddle  and  quick 
draught  breeds  of  horses.  Purgatives,  in  the 
stable  phrase,  physic,  the  basis  of  which  is  always 
aloes,  soon  ensues  on  taking  in  the  colt  or  filly, 
to  the  extent  of  several  doses.     Walking  exercise 


on  turf,  the  canter  and  moderate  gallop^  the 
brushing  gallop  and  sweat,  compose  the  training 
paces.  Though  to  the  Race-horse  trotting  is  a 
natural  pace,  yet,  from  his  form,  he  is  not 
calculated  to  excel  at  it ;  nor  did  we  ever  read 
or  hear  of  more  than  one  race-horse  matched  to 
trot ;  that  one  was  Infidel,  by  Turk,  which,  many 
years  ago,  won  his  money,  by  trotting  fifteen 
miles  in  one  hour  over  the  road.  In  full  exercise, 
the  racers  go  out  twice  a  day,  otherwise  once, 
taking  water  after  the  gallop,  and  a  canter  after 
water.  Sweating,  in  full  work,  is  performed  by 
loading  the  horse  with  an  additional  weight  of 
clothes,  and  galloping  him,  four  or  five  miles, 
pushing  him  at  intervals,  to  considerable  speed, 
with  the  view  of  throwing  out  the  perspiration. 
On  pulling  up,  he  is  led  into  a  sheltered  place 
and  scraped,  wiped,  walked  out,  and  led  home 
dry.  A  strong  horse,  fresh  on  his  legs,  is  sweated 
weekly,  or  even  twice  in  ten  days.  Trials  are 
always  had  of  young  horses,  in  order  to  ascertain 
the  rate  of  their  qualifications.  These  are 
generally  to  the  extent  of  one  mile  or  two, 
against  a  reputed  racer,  and  with  proportionate 
weights.  Horses  also,  in  the  course  of  the  racing 
season,  are  tried  previously  to  any  great  race  or 
match.  But  neither  this  practice,  nor  trying 
against  time,  are  of  such  frequent  use  as  in  former 
<lays  ;  indeed,  we  seldom  now  hear  of  the  latter. 


RACING 

SADDLING 

THE  important  day  having  arrived,  and  the 
hour  of  trial  approaching,  the  Racers  are 
led  gently  towards  the  turf,  on  which  the  races 
are  to  be  held  ;  and  walked  up  and  down,  until 
the  drum  shall  beat  as  formerly,  or  the  bell  ring, 
for  saddling.  The  horses  are  then  stripped  of 
their  clothes,  which  are  put  into  the  hands  of 
attendants,  bundled  up,  and  thrown  on  the  back 
of  a  horse,  in  order  to  be  ready  on  the  instant  of 
the  conclusion  of  the  race  or  heat ;  that  the 
horses  may  be  again  clothed  and  protected,  in 
their  heated  state,  from  dangerous  atmospheric 
influence.  In  case  of  heats,  the  same  ceremonies 
of  stripping  and  clothing,  saddling  and  unsaddling, 
necessarily  take  place  before  and  after  every  heat. 
The  racing  finished,  the  horses  are  led  home  in 
the  same  order  as  they  came,  the  winner,  no 
doubt,  with  great  honour,  and  amidst  the  plaudits 
of  all  the  heroes  of  the  stable. 

The    Plate    impresses    us    with    certain    ideas. 


which    a   long    and    intimate    acquaintance   with 
the  business  of  the  turf,  has  rendered  famihar  to 
us.     Gentle  reader,  thou  seest,  somewhat  in  the 
back    ground,    the    proprietor    and    his    jockey, 
cheek-by-jole,  in    deep    confab.     What   thinkest 
thou  is  the  most  important  topic  of  this  conver- 
sation ?     In  all  probability,  the  simple  direction, 
whether  the  jockey  be  required  to  try  to  win,  or 
try  to  lose.     Indeed,  it  would  be  a  peculiar  hard 
case,  for  a   Sportsman  to    be   compelled   to  win 
against    his    will;    in    other   words,    against    his 
interest.     Old  Q.— the  late  Duke  of  Queensbury, 
was   once   standing  at   the   head   of  the  betting 
circle,  on    Newmarket    Heath,  when  his  jockey, 
a  raw  lad,  not  having  received  his  orders,  went 
up  to  him,  and,  in  a  voice  audible  to  all  around, 
said—"  Please  your  Grace,  how  am  I  to  ride  this 
match?"     A  loud   laugh   burst  from  the  whole 
company  ;  but  the  Duke,  unembarrassed  and  with 
a  good  presence  of  mind,  answered—"  Ride  !  why 
do  your  best,  and  win  if  you  can,  to  be  sure  !  " 


RACING 

PREPARING  TO  START 

THE  Jockies  having  mounted,  and  perhaps 
walked  their  horses  backward  and  forward 
awhile,  are  now  adjusting  themselves  to  their 
seats,  and  getting  the  bridle  firmly  and  properly 
in  hand.  The  foremost  nag  appears  to  be  a 
ready  one  to  start,  and  longing  to  be  off ;  a  sort, 
by-the-by,  which  full  often  have  an  equal,  and 
somewhat  too  early,  longing  to  be  pulled  up. 
They  naturally  belong  to  that  speedy  class  which 
can  run  fast  enough  to  tire  themselves. 

The  severity  of  racing  has  been  very  judiciously 
abridged,  especially  at  Newmarket,  of  late  years. 
Running  heats  has,  indeed,  excepting  on  one  or 
two  occasions,  been  for  many  years  disused  there. 
The  distances  also  are  curtailed,  a  measure 
originally  proposed  by  the  late  humane  Sir 
Thomas  Charles  Bunbury,  Bart,  who  presided 
during  so  many  years  in  the  Jockey  Club,  and 
was  a  breeder  and  trainer  of  Race  Horses  during 
the  long  course  of  nearly  threescore  years.     The 


majority  of  races  now  at  Newmarket,  extend 
only  to  a  single  mile ;  races  over  the  course, 
or  fom*  miles,  being  not  frequent  as  formerly. 
In  the  days  of  Childers,  even  six  mile  courses 
were  run ;  a  practice  long  since  out  of  memory. 
In  such  as  are  styled  '^  Country  Courses,'  and  for 
plates,  the  best  of  three  heats  is  the  custom :  the 
usual  distance  for  young  horses,  two ;  for  aged, 
or  all  ages,  four  miles.  Newmarket  has  long,  or 
ever  been,  the  metropoUs  of  the  Turf.  Don- 
caster  and  York  follow  with  nearly  equal  steps. 
Epsom,  Ascot,  Guildford,  liave  their  share  of 
fame.  It  is  somewhat  singular  that,  no  modern 
nation,  excepting  the  British  and  Irish,  have,  or 
do,  acquire  any  fame  at  the  noble  sport  of  Horse- 
racing,  notwithstanding  so  many  attempts,  and 
their  constant  extensive  purchases  of  English 
thorough-bred  horses  for  the  stud.  We  necessarily 
include  the  inhabitants  of  the  United  States  of 
America,  and  of  British  India,  among  the  British. 
In  these  countries  the  Turf  flourishes,  and  its 
business  is  conducted  on  the  English  plan. 


RACING 

OFF! 

THE  horses  are  off! — the  Chesnut,  taking  the 
lead,  obviously  shows  that  it  is  intended 
he  should  keep  it,  if  in  his  power,  and  make  the 
play  through,  to  the  ending  post.  The  counten- 
ance of  the  jockey  is  an  equal  index  that,  to  such 
effect,  have  been  his  orders.  The  other  two  are 
putting  themselves  in  a  form,  to  make  a  waiting- 
race,  to  husband  out  the  speed  and  wind  of  their 
horses,  with  the  view  of  having  a  reserve  of  both, 
at  the  run  in,  or  last  push,  which  may  carry  them 
beyond  the  horse,  which  may  have  exhausted 
himself  in  making  the  play. 

It  is  a  common  case,  particularly  when  a  con- 
siderable number  of  horses,  or  young  ones  start, 
for  some  of  the  jockies  to  be  unable  to  get  their 
horses  off  at  the  signal,  in  consequence,  a  part 
start  without  them.  In  this  case ;  a  false  start, 
is  called  by  those  left  behind,  and  the  Clerk  of 
the  Course,  recals  the  start.  It  has  sometimes 
happened,  that  a  false  start  has  been  called  twice. 


and  even  three  times ;  and  not  seldom,  that  such 
a  manoeuvre  has  been  practised  by  those  jockies, 
who  have  not  got  a  place  in  the  start  to  their 
mind  ;  or  the  trick  may  be  sometimes  played  off, 
with  a  view  to  harass  and  baffle  young  horses  or 
young  riders.  It  is  submitted  to  the  Jockey  Club, 
whether  a  remedy  in  the  case  be  not  expedient ; 
and  whether  some  general  rule  might  not  be  laid 
down,  that  would  be  a  preventive  of  the  incon- 
venience. 


RACING 

DOING  THEIR  BEST 

IN  riding,  especially  a  four-mile  race,  a  number 
of  runs  may  be  made  at  particular  parts  of 
the  course ;  but  this  before  us,  by  the  railing, 
appears  to  be  the  last,  or  the  run  in.  The  known, 
it  may  be  called  the  universal  rule,  is,  for  the 
Jockey  to  lie  by,  and  favour  the  speedy  horse, 
that  he  may  be  as  fresh  as  possible,  to  avail  him- 
self of  his  natural  (jualification  at  the  last  push, 
the  only  chance  he  can  have  to  win  the  race. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  rider  of  the  stout,  or  last- 
ing, and  comparatively  slow  horse,  takes  the  lead, 
and  runs  the  course  through,  at  the  utmost  speed 
his  horse  can  bear,  giving  him  those  occasional 
pulls,  which  are  necessary  to  prevent  his  coming 
to  a  stand-still.  By  this  means,  the  speedy  and 
less  lasting,  or  perhaps  jadish,  horse,  becomes  at 
the  final  run  so  exhausted,  that  the  slowest  horse 
is  metamorphosed  into  the  speediest,  and  wins 
the  race.  This  will  happen  even  in  running  a 
mile.;  for,  in  truth,  there  is  much  running  in  a 


mile,  unless  the  diflferenee  in  point  of  speed  be 
too  great.  When  two  horses,  equally  stout,  meet, 
their  speed  nearty  on  a  level,  and  the  weights 
equal,  the  race  is  terrible.  We  have  thus  stated 
the  usual  method  of  riding  speedy  and  stout 
horses,  which  we  believe  has  been  almost  uni- 
versally adopted  ;  but,  at  the  instant,  we  recollect 
an  account  of  a  race,  many  years  since,  between 
two  of  the  most  famous  horses  of  the  day, 
Matchem  and  Trajan ;  and  at  which  several  of 
our  old  friends  were  present.  It  was  over  the 
B.  C.  at  Newmarket,  for  the  Whip  and  Two 
Hundred  Guineas.  Matchem,  though  known  to 
be  the  slowest  horse,  was  ridden  a  waiting  race 
by  John  Singleton,  a  famous  Yorkshire  Jockey, 
and  won  the  race.  The  case  must  have  been, 
either  that  the  difference  of  speed  was  not  very 
great,  or  that  Trajan  was  as  jadish  as  speedy. 
An  account  of  this  race  may  be  referred  to  in  the 
Turf  Register.  During  the  race,  those  who  were 
in  a  place  to  witness  it,  were  much  surprised  at 
Singleton's  plan  of  riding. 

A  glance  at  the  plate,  will  show  this  to  be  a 
proper  place  to  notice,  and  with  utter  reprobation, 
the  barbarous  and  equally  useless  practice  of  ex- 
cessive whipping  and  spurring  these  delicate  and 
thin-skinned  animals,  during  the  last  run  ;  when 
it  is  an  obvious  mathematical  certainty  that,  no 
horse  can  possibly  add    the    slightest   additional 


portion  to  that  degree  of  speedy  which  nature 
intended  he  should  possess^  or  a  single  line  be- 
yond his  natural  extent  of  stride  ;  and  that  horses 
generally,  with  very  little  urging,  when  running 
near  together,  or  side  by  side,  will  spontaneously 
exert  themselves  to  the  very  utmost  of  their 
natural  powers.  We  are  well  aware  of  the  exist- 
ence of  individuals,  called,  in  the  style  of  the  Turf, 
whijyped  horses  ;  in  plain  English,  those  sluggish 
animals,  generally  of  the  stout  and  lasting  sort, 
which  really  require  the  whip  and  spur  to  force 
them  to  the  utmost  of  their  exertions.  But  this  cor- 
rection of  them  is  always  overdone,  and,  in  fact,  the 
notion  itself  is  greatly  overstrained,  and,  in  a  con- 
siderable degree  one  of  custom.  Besides,  at  the  run 
in  of  a  strongly-contested  race,  all  are  treated  with 
equal  barbarity,  whether  willing  or  otherwise, 
supposed  to  require  it  by  their  nature,  or  not ; 
and  that  which  is  deplorable  and  contemptible 
enough,  English  spectators,  both  male  and  female, 
seem  to  enjoy  the  exhibition,  in  proportion  to  the 
excess  of  cutting  and  slashing ;  or  our  newspapers 
grossly  misrepresent  the  matter,  and  calumniate 
the  people.  That  numbers  of  horses  have  been 
whipped  and  spurred  into  losing  their  race,  every 
man  of  experience  can  testify,  and  that  races  may 
be  won  without  either  whipping  or  spurring  is  in 
full  proof,  by  thirty  years  experience  of  the  late 
tender-hearted    and    compassionate    Sir    Charles 


Bunbury ;  who,  throughout  that  whole  period, 
never  suffered  blood  to  be  drawn  from  one  of  his 
racers,  by  whip  or  spur,  yet  was  on  a  level  with 
his  competitors,  in  the  number  of  his  winning 
horses.  But  this  savage  practice  is  continued  like 
other  old  and  bad  customs,  and,  with  respect  to 
the  Jockies,  there  is  an  obvious  difficulty  in  the 
case,  which,  indeed,  the  proprietors  of  race  horses 
alone  can  remove. 


RACING 

GOING  TO  WEIGH 

THE  instant  after  pulling  up  at  tlie  Ending 
Post^  and  the  determination  of  eveiy  heat 
or  race,  the  horse  being  unsaddled,  his  jockey 
proceeds  to  be  weighed,  in  presence  of  the  Clerk 
of  the  Course,  in  order  to  give  proof  that  he  has 
ridden  the  stipulated  weight  —  the  next  thing 
needful,  after  coming  in  '  first  and  first,'  to  entitle 
his  principal  to  the  prize.  Some  trifle,  we  believe, 
and  two  pounds  for  over-weight,  is  customarily 
allowed  for  waste.  This  gradual  weighting  of 
the  horse  (one  of  the  nice  points  and  refinements 
of  Horse  Coursing),  is  probably  modern,  and  of 
English  origin.  In  course,  the  lightest  weights 
are  set  upon  young  horses,  rising  gradually  to  the 
five-year  old  and  aged.  The  minimum  and  tnaximum 
have  been,  time  out  of  mind,  a  feather  and  twelve 
stone,  fourteen  pounds  to  the  stone ;  that  is  to 
say,  horseman's  weight.  The  terra  feather,  in 
our  Turf  slang,  indicates  a  boy  of  the  lightest 
weight,  capable  of  the  functions  of  a  Jockey. 
Mares  are  generally  allowed  some  abatement  of 
weight.     By  order    of  the    Court,   when    King's 


Plates  were  first  given^  the  weight  was  settled  at 
twelve  stone  for  six-year-old  horses ;  and  ten 
stone  for  five-year-olds  and  mares^  four-mile  heats, 
with  the  view  of  encouraging  a  powerful  breed  of 
race-horses ;  the  second  duty  of  Turf  stallions 
being  the  production  of  saddle-horses  generally, 
and  of  horses  for  quick  draught.  So  high  a  weight 
as  twelve  stone,  excepting  for  King's  Plates,  is 
not  in  general  use  on  the  Turf;  ten  stone,  that 
not  often  occurring,  being  the  maximum.  The 
tei-m  catch  weights  indicates,  that  the  match,  or 
race,  is  to  be  run  without  any  stipulation  on  that 
score.  Handy -capping  is,  when  the  weights  in  a 
race,  have  been  settled  by  the  judgment  of  an 
appointed  handy-capper,  who  adjusts  the  weight 
to  be  carried  by  each  horse  or  mare,  according  to 
the  aggregate  of  their  several  ages,  powers,  and 
known  or  imputed  qualifications ;  certainly  the 
fairest  possible  plan  of  racing.  A  race  give  and 
take,  or  weight  for  inches,  is  so  denominated  from 
the  rule,  that  a  certain  given  height,  suppose 
twelve  hands,  shall  carry  a  given  weight,  that 
weight  being  gradually  increased,  on  every  inch 
upwards,  to  fifteen  hands.  It  has  been  held,  that 
with  two  horses,  equally  matched  in  all  other 
respects,  running  four  miles,  an  additional  seven 
pounds  carried  by  one  will  occasion  the  difference 
against  him  of  a  distance.  We  have  reason  to 
suspect  the  correctness  of  this  opinion. 


THE  HUNTER 

THE  figure  in  view  is  that  of  a  powerful, 
full-sized,  three-part-bred  Hunter,  master 
of  sixteen  stone  over  a  strong  country.  The 
saddle,  bridle,  and  position  of  the  girths,  are 
in  the  same  form  and  style  which  has  prevailed 
in  England,  with  little  variation,  during  nearly 
fifty  years. 

Horses  for  the  purpose  of  hunting,  in  England, 
are  selected  chiefly  in  relation  to  the  nature  of 
the  soil  over  which  they  are  intended  to  hunt. 
Thus,  thorough-bred  racers  and  horses  nearly 
approaching  to  the  full  blood,  are  chosen  for 
downs  and  light  open  countries,  where  the 
utmost  speed  may  be  exerted  and  continued, 
and  where  the  chace  very  often  resembles  a 
sweepstakes  over  the  regular  race-course.  In 
a  chace  like  this,  the  strong  slow  Hunter,  or 
that  half-bred  horse,  sometimes  designated  as, 
par  excellence,  the  Old  English  Hunter,  would 
help  to  make  up  but  an  indifferent  back-ground. 
And  this  mode  of  selecting  horses  has  prevailed 


for  several  centuries  past^  indeed  commenced 
with  the  modern  EngUsh  hunt. 

But  whatever  description  of  horse  is  chosen 
for  real  service  as  a  Hunter,  he  ought  to  have, 
generally,  the  true  form  and  qualities  of  a  good 
hackney  or  road-horse.  Thus,  he  must  not  be 
leggy,  long  or  loose-jointed.  He  must  stand 
truly,  his  quarters  must  be  well  spread,  his 
hocks  sufficiently  curved  that  his  hinder  feet 
may  well  support  his  loins,  which  must  be  wide 
and  substantial.  His  hoofs  also  must  be  tough, 
and  able  to  support  him  over  the  varieties  of 
ground.  His  forehand  must  be  lofty,  he  must 
carry  his  saddle  in  a  good  place ;  and  with  a 
mouth  that  will  endure  the  necessary  pulls,  he 
must  ride  light  in  hand.  His  paces  of  most 
consequence  are  the  walk,  canter,  and  hunting- 
rate  or  long  gallop.  Should  he  be  of  warm 
temperament,  he  will,  to  speak  generally,  be 
most  distinguished  as  a  Hying,  if  the  opposite, 
as  a  standing  leaper. 

In  the  choice  of  a  thorough-bred  Hunter,  the 
first  object  is  to  find  a  short-legged  horse ;  the 
next,  that  he  may  concentre  as  many  as  possible 
of  the  above  qualifications.  It  may  be  depended 
on,  that  a  well-shaped  horse  particularly,  is  able 
to  carry  weight  in  proportion  to  his  blood,  which 
arises  from  the  firmer  substance  of  the  tendons 
and  fibres  of  the  south-eastern  horse,  his  superior 


ductility ;  thence  the  animal's  greater  facility  of 
motion  and  progression.  In  choosing  a  common 
bred  horse  for  the  field,  and  many  such  have 
made  a  capital  figure  over  a  strong  country,  and 
commanded  a  high  price ;  not  forgetting  the 
rules  already  laid  down,  ability  to  carry  weight 
and  ready  action  are  the  essentials. 

No  horse,  bred  however  he  may  have  been,  is 
equal  to  the  labours  of  the  field,  until  he  shall 
have  completed  his  fifth  year.  A  horse  rising 
five  may,  indeed,  be  hunted  occasionally,  and 
by  way  of  training,  but  never  over  deep  clays, 
in  which  the  joints  of  the  young  horse,  not  yet 
fixed  and  settled,  are  so  apt  to  be  strained. 

The  education  of  a  young  horse  for  hunting, 
commences  at  the  bar,  w^here  he  is  taught  the 
standing-leap.  As  to  the  flying-leap,  nature  has 
taught  it  to  most  horses,  and  the  field  is  the  best 
school  for  it.  The  bar  should  be  covered  with 
horsecloth,  and  no  extraordinary  height  ever 
presented  to  the  colt,  until  he  shall  have  become 
perfect  in  the  action.  The  utmost  patience  and 
temper  should  be  used,  but  great  attention  also 
shown  to  oblige  the  horse,  on  the  completion  of 
his  leap,  to  clear  his  hinder  legs,  for  which  the 
flourish  of  the  whip  may  be  necessary.  With 
some  sluggish  colts,  it  may  be  proper  to  cover 
the  bar  with  furze,  otherwise  that  had  better  be 
omitted.     The    Hunter,  like    the   racer,  requires 


a  purge  or  two,  to  lighten  and  prepare  him  for 
his  gallops,  to  which  he  should  be  trained  during 
two  or  three  months  previous  to  the  hunting- 
season.  These  should  be  moderate  ;  and  most 
particularly,  old,  seasoned  Hunters,  should  never 
be  harassed  and  worn  down  with  excess  of  train- 
ing. Walking  exercise,  and  a  few  canters,  agree 
best  with  the  state  of  body  and  limbs  in  which 
the  severe  labours  of  the  seasons  past  must  have 
left  them. 


RUNNING  m  TO  A  STAG 

WE  have  here  an  interesting  and  inspiriting 
view  of  hounds  running  into  the  Stag, 
who  bravely  stands  at  bay. 

The  Stag- Hound  is  the  largest  and  slowest  of 
the  species  at  present  kept  in  this  country.  He 
most  resembles  in  form  the  old  southern  hound, 
and  ought  to  possess  the  superior  nose  of  his 
progenitor.  He  is  heavy  in  the  head,  ear,  and 
chops,  which  are  aiTiply  supplied  with  pendant 
leather.  This,  indeed,  is  a  description  of  the 
old  Stag-hound  ;  and  perhaps  tallies  better  with 
those  of  the  royal  packs,  than  with  the  few  other 
packs  which  are  at  present  kept  in  England ; 
where  the  ancient  and  celebrated  Stag  -  chase 
has  been,  long  since,  almost  superseded  by  that 
of  the  Fox,  which,  at  its  early  commencement, 
instead  of  a  sporting-chase,  was  merely  a  scouring 
of  the  country  by  a  great  company  of  horse  and 
foot-men,  for  the  extirpation  of  an  animal  then 
held  to  be  a  destructive  vermin.  Thus  tempoi-a 
mutantur,   and   fashion    has    changed    with    time. 


It  has  been  conjectured  that  the  origmal  Stag- 
hound  was  produced  from  a  cross  between  the 
blood-hound  and  the  southern -hound.  After  all, 
in  probability  the  blood-hound  himself  was  a 
southern-hound,  selected  for  superiority  of  size 
and  of  olfactory  powers,  which  were  indicated 
by  the  expansive  capacity  of  his  nostrils.  The 
lighter  Stag-hounds  are  evidently  the  result  of 
a  fox-hound  cross,  showing  it  in  the  ear  and 
nose,  the  general  form,  and  smaller  size  of  the 
stem. 

The  royal  establishment,  at  Windsor,  for  hunting 
the  Stag,  in  which  his  late  majesty,  George  III. 
formerly  took  so  great  interest,  is  still  preserved 
in  its  pristine  splendour  and  annual  regularity. 
The  Master  of  the  Stag-hounds,  always  a  man  of 
high  rank,  received,  many  years  since,  a  salary 
of  two  thousand  pounds  per  annum.  The  hunts- 
men, with  the  addition  of  a  residence  at  the 
kennel,  one  hundred  and  twenty-three  pounds, 
and  six  Yeomen  -  Prickers,  attendants  on  the 
chase,  one  hundred  and  four  pounds  per  annum 
each,  with  an  annual  supply  of  new  liveries,, 
horse-cloths,  saddles,  and  all  stable  requisites ; 
horses  being  provided  at  their  own  expence. 
The  king's  Stag-hounds,  according  to  the  old 
rule,  which  we  are  not  aware  has  been  changed, 
commence  their  hunting-season  on  old  Holy- 
Rood-day  ;  and  the  hunting-days  are  the  following 


Tuesdaijs  and  Saiunlciys,  until  the  first  week  in 
May.  During  the  hoHday-weeks  of  Christmas 
and  Easter,  the  hounds  continued  to  hunt  the 
alternate  days  ;  and  the  two  grand  days  of  the 
season  are  those  of  Holy-Rood  and  Easier-Mondmj. 
The  royal  establishments  for  buck-hounds  and 
harriers  have  been  many  years  since  abolished. 
In  ancient  times  the  royal  hunts,  and  those  of 
the  nobility,  in  this  country,  were  infinitely  more 
extensive  and  costly  than  within  any  modern 
period ;  resembling,  in  those  respects,  and, 
indeed,  in  the  mode  of  pursuing  the  game, 
the  present  customs  upon  the  Continent.  There 
were  many  instances  during  the  reign  of  the 
Planfagenefs,  of  the  higher  nobility  keeping  each 
to  the  number  of  sixteen  hundred  hounds,  with  a 
number  of  hunting-horses  in  proportion.  Hounds 
were  then  of  great  value,  and  a  capital  hunter 
worth  three  or  four  hundred  pounds,  according 
to  the  present  value  of  money.  English  horses 
and  English  hounds  Avere,  at  that  period,  in 
universal  repute. 

The  only  part  of  Deer-hunting  much  affected 
by  our  modem  Nimrods,  or  Fox-hunters,  as  most 
in  unison  with  the  natural  chase,  is  that  afforded 
by  an  out-lying  Deer,  tried  for,  and  unharboured, 
by  either  Fox  or  Stag-hounds.  This  may  be 
attended  with  a  full  share  of  those  labours, 
difficulties,  and    exertions,   so    much    courted   by 


the  enthusiasm  of  the  real  votaries  of  the  chase. 
The  usual  regular  Stag-hunt,  in  England,  is  not 
the  pursuit  of  a  wild  animal,  but  rather  of  one 
domesticated,  at  least  bred  and  reared  in  parks, 
and  carted  to  an  appointed  spot  to  be  turned  out 
before  the  hounds.  The  animal  sometimes  is 
sullen  and  spiritless,  and  will  not  start  or  run  ; 
but  when  he  proves  in  good  heart,  a  chase  may 
follow  of  a  length  sufficient  to  satisfy  the  most 
ardent  sportsmen,  and  to  try  the  speed  and 
goodness  of  the  most  staunch  hounds  and  best- 
bred  horses.  The  constant  vie/v,  in  a  Deer-hunt, 
by  well-mounted  and  staunch  sportsmen,  is  one 
of  its  greatest  attractions. 

His  late  Majesty's  regular  and  disciplined 
system  of  Stag-hunting  was  as  ^follows :  — The 
Stag  was  turned  out,  attended  by  two  of  the 
yeomen-prickers,  whose  duty  it  was  to  keep 
sufficiently  near  to  him,  one  on  each  side,  so 
as  not  to  lose  sight  of  him.  The  hounds  were 
soon  laid  on  the  scent,  and,  after  a  while,  stopped 
by  the  huntsman ;  a  practice  to  which  Deer- 
hounds  are  always  trained,  until  the  king  and 
his  attendants,  who  were  not  always  able  to 
hold  way  with  the  pack,  came  up.  The  chase 
then  proceeded,  consisting  of  several  more  runs, 
until  the  Stag  could  be  taken,  in  order  to  be 
re-conveyed  to  his  home  quarters  on  the  forest, 
his  Majesty  very  seldom  killing. 


EARTH-STOPPER 

THE  Earth-Stopper  is  usually  some  ancient 
retainer  of  the  Hunting  establishment,  who 
knows  every  track  of  the  neighbouring  country, 
and  the  haunts  of  the  game.  It  is  his  business 
to  close  up  the  mouths  of  the  fox  or  badger's  den, 
by  night,  during  their  absence  in  quest  of  food  : 
more  particularly  of  the  former,  on  the  eve  of  a 
hunt,  in  order  to  be  sure  of  finding ;  and  that, 
when  found,  the  chase  may  not  run  speedily  to 
earth.  Behold  him,  equipped  with  his  belt,  and 
furnished  with  lanthorn  and  spade,  slowly  march- 
ing along  behind  his  terriers,  which  are  hunting 
the  earths,  whilst  his  aged  and  experienced  steed, 
cropping  the  grass,  awaits  his  return  patiently 
and  silently.  Earth-stoppers  have  also  their  use 
in  the  day-time,  and  are  sometimes  necessary  at- 
tendants on  the  hunt.  Unkennelling  the  fox  by 
dig^i7ig  may  be  required,  and  they  whose  regular 
business  it  is  to  stop,  may  then  turn  their  hands 
to  unstopping. 

It  is  sometimes  a  necessary  precaution,  to  stop 


such  earths  only  as  cannot  be  digged ;  because,  if 
some  foxes  go  to  earth,  and  blood  be  ^vanted  at 
last,  it  will  then  be  known  where  to  find  it. 
Young  foxes  having  been  much  disturbed  will  lie 
at  ground  ;  the  earths  at  such  times  should  be 
-stopped  three  or  four  hours  before  day,  or  the 
hounds  will  scarcely  find.  The  old  Oxford  toast 
runs  thus  : — 

''  Hounds  stout  and  horses  healthy. 

Earths  well  stopped,  and  foxes  plenty." 

Nevertheless,  that  prince  of  Fox-hunting  critics, 
Beckford,  did  no  discredit  to  his  long  experience, 
when  he  said — A  few  large  earths  near  to  your 
house  are  certainly  desirable,  as  they  will  draw  the 
Foxes  thither,  and,  after  a  long  day,  will  some- 
times bring  you  home. 


FOX-HUNTING 


GOING  TO  COVER 


OUR  Order  of  the  Day  for  Hunting  is  as 
follows  : — The  appointment  being  made 
by  the  Proprietor  of  the  hounds,  in  the  latest 
slang  of  the  field,  a  fixture  of  day,  hour,  and 
place  of  rendezvous,  the  hounds  proceed  under 
the  guidance  of  the  Huntsman  and  Whipper-in  ; 
whilst  the  gentlemen  of  the  hunt  ride  their  hacks 
to  covert,  where  they  find  their  well  -  trained 
hunters  in  readiness  to  be  mounted  for  the  sport. 
Here  commences,  especially  when  the  meeting  is 
numerous,  and  punctual  as  to  time,  a  jolly  and 
friendly  shaking  of  hands,  and  mutual  salutation 
among  strangers,  with  a  chat  which  is  an  en- 
couraging prelude  to  the  expected  joys  of  the 
chace.  A  fine  scent-lying  morning  gives  a  high 
zest  to  this :  on  the  other  hand,  cold,  sleety,  and 
unpropitious  weather,  with  a  lingering  and  anxious 
waiting  for  the  chearly  announcement  of  Reynard 
breaking  cover,  give  a  seasoning  not  of  the  most 
agreeable  kind,  to  the  impatient  tyro ;  whilst  it 
excites,  now  and  then,  a  few  shrugs  and  testy 
smiles  from  the  seasoned  Fox-hunter. 


Fox-hunters  do  not^,  now-a-days^  go  out  so  early 
as  their  forefathers  did  ;  but  when  foxes  are  strong, 
and  not  very  plentiful,  there  is  an  advantage  in 
early  hunting.  Whether  late  or  early,  hounds  in 
course,  will  be  led  to  the  likeliest  places  for  find- 
ing, which  necessarily  will  be  those  coverts  not 
lately  drawn.  The  covert  being  thick  with  furze 
or  gorse,  must  be  drawn  slowly  and  with  care,  as 
a  fox  will  sometimes  warily  keep  kennel  until  the 
dogs  get  nearly  in  upon  him.  Nor  should  the 
covert  be  quitted  whilst  any  hounds,  particularly 
those  of  best  character,  remain ;  for,  frequently, 
when  the  hounds  do  not  find  at  first,  and  are 
unsuccessful  at  the  next  covert,  a  fatiguing  and 
useless,  instead  of  a  day  of  pleasure  and  animation, 
is  the  consequence. 

The  Huntsman  ought  not  to  be  interrupted, 
though  he  may  be  sometimes  judiciously  assisted, 
whilst  working  his  hounds  in  covert,  when  silence 
and  circumspection  are  his  leading  maxims. 
There  is,  however,  always  a  risk  of  stubbing  the 
horses.  But,  in  breaking  cover,  he  should  not 
spare  his  lungs,  and  every  one  in  the  field,  at 
that  jovial  instant,  is  at  full  liberty  to  make  as 
much  noise  as  he  shall  please.  '  Gone  away  ! '  is 
the  proper  halloo  when  the  fox  has  broken  cover, 
and  should  be  given  in  the  loudest  key,  and  re- 
peated, as  a  warning  to  gentlemen  at  a  distance. 


FOX-HUNTING 

BREAKING  COVER.— TALLY  HO! 

THOSE  diurnal  monitors  and  instructors,  the 
Newspapers,  have  of  late  ingeniously 
enough,  however  accurately,  furnished  the  un- 
initiated with  the  derivation  from  our  Norman 
conquerors,  of  the  leading  terms  in  a  Fox-hunt — 
Tally  ho !  and  Halloo !  The  former  indicates, 
literally — Away  to  the  copse !  In  French,  Au 
taille !  but  has  always,  within  sporting  memory, 
been  accepted  in  an  opposite  signification ;  namely, 
when  the  fox  is  breaking  cover.  Halloo !  is  said 
to  be  derived  from  the  French  au  loup  !  to  the 
wolf !  anciently  hunted  in  this  country,  as  well  as 
in  France ;  and  the  exclamation  has  been  trans- 
ferred to  the  Fox-hunt ;  wolves  having  been, 
many  ages  since,  exterminated  in  Britain,  as  they 
might  have  been  in  France,  under  a  popular  and 
good  government. 

The  silence  and  circumspection,  so  necessary 
whilst  drawing  covert,  are  now  at  an  end ;  and 
the  suppressed  animal  spirits  of  the  hunters  break 


covert  with  the  fox.  All  is  hurry^  bustle,  exulta- 
tion, and  exclamation  ;  and — Gone  away  I — Tally 
ho ! — Halloo  forward !  are  repeated,  in  chorus, 
after  the  Huntsman.  With  a  strong  scent  they, 
whose  lungs  enable  them  to  utter  loud  and 
piercing  screams,  are  of  great  use,  as  that  infernal 
noise  alarms  the  fox,  and  helps  to  keep  him  going, 
and  forward.  It  also  encourages  the  hounds,  and 
keeps  them  together,  which  is  the  beauty  of  the 
hunt. 

But  this  exultation  is  momentary,  at  least  not 
of  long  continuance  ;  and,  indeed,  would  be,  as 
hot-headed  and  untrained  individuals  too  often 
render  it,  a  nuisance  and  a  hindrance  in  other  parts 
of  the  hunt.  It  gives  place  now  to  a  choice  of 
that  part,  which  every  gentleman  determines  to 
take  in  riding  to  the  hounds.  Not  that  all  in  a 
field,  particularly  if  the  company  be  numerous, 
have  either  knowledge  of  hunting,  or  temper 
sufficient  to  act  with  discretion,  as  the  Proprietor 
of  the  hounds  and  his  Huntsman  too  often  ex- 
perience. Early  in  the  season  1821,  a  gentleman 
from  London,  went  out  for  the  first  time  with 
the  ***^-^*  hounds ;  they  came  to  a  sudden 
check,  and  he  rode  in  among  them,  and  broke 
the  leg  of  a  young  hound  bitch,  reputed  among 
the  most  promising  of  the  pack ;  previously  to 
which  he  had  been  remarked  as  most  lavish  in 
giving  tongue. 


It  is  an  old  rule,  of  which  every  would-be 
Sportsman  should  be  apprised,  that,  whilst  the 
Huntsman  is  busily  engaged,  and  the  hounds 
drawing,  the  company  also  should,  individually, 
])erform  their  part  of  the  duties  of  the  chase. 
There  must  be  then,  no  more  groups,  or  conversa- 
tion parties ;  indeed,  it  has  been  said,  no  two 
gentlemen  should  be  seen  together ;  since  it  ought 
to  be  the  general  object  to  spread  as  widely  as 
possible  around,  that  a  fox  may  not  sneak  off  un- 
witnessed. In  the  management  of  this  tactic,  as 
well  as  subsequently  in  the  chase,  every  tyro  should 
fix  upon  some  Sportsman  of  experience  and  know- 
ledge of  the  country,  as  his  counsellor  or  pilot. 
Such  a  one  should  never  venture  into  the  field, 
but  on  a  horse  steady  to  hounds,  and  a  safe  and 
ready  fencer :  with  these  precautions,  and  by  not 
being  too  forward,  but  following  the  best  examples 
in  the  field,  he  may,  in  a  season  or  two,  qualify 
himself  also  to  exhibit  examples. 


-^r'^-'-/ 


FOX-HUNTING 

GONE  AWAY.— FORWARD  ! 

THE  Huntsman  sets  off  with  the  foremost 
hounds,  and  the  Whipper-in,  taking  care 
that  none  are  left  behind  in  cover,  follows,  urging 
them  forward,  and  driving  on  the  tail  hounds  and 
stragglers.  Now,  the  Sportsman's  heart  beats  high, 
and  in  unison  with  those  of  the  horses  and  dogs  I 
They  all  seem  equally  to  enjoy  the  sport,  but — 
there  is  a  but  even  in  the  most  rapturous  and  ex- 
hilarating sports  ;  for  that  which  is  sport  to  those, 
is  amazement,  fright,  and  death  to  poor  Reynard. 
However,  when  the  weather  is  fine,  and  the 
ground  in  good  condition,  he  runs  with  a  courage 
and  confidence,  that  affords  him  strong  hope  of 
escape  of  life,  and  of  once  more  joining  the  vixen 
and  his  cubs. 

In  order  to  the  true  enjoyment  of  this  highly 
estimated,  this  first  of  our  national  sports,  there 
are  very  material  previous  considerations,  as  we 
have  already  hinted  in  a  former  plate.     In  old- 


fashioned  slang — '  to  set  up  without  the  tools  ' 
is  a  poor  and  bald  affair,  in  any  circumstance  of 
life ;  and  in  nothing  more,  than  the  arduous 
undertaking  before  us.  A  pretty  figure,  truly,  a 
man  must  make  in  the  field,  whether  he  be  a 
haberdasher  of  hats  from  Bucklersbury,  or  the  son 
of  a  noble  duke,  who  awkwardly  bestrides  his 
horse,  whose  horse  was  never  bred  to  gallop ;  or, 
if  it  can  gallop,  has  no  meat  or  condition  in  him  ! 
It  may  be  rare  fun  to  the  rest  of  the  field,  to  laugh 
at  such  a  brother  Sportsman,  but,  with  respect  to 
himself,  it  must,  or  ought  to  be,  quite  a  different 
thing.  Uniformity,  we  think,  in  Hunting  Govern- 
ment, in  ceremonies  and  slang,  is  pleasing ;  and 
every  knight-companion,  for  all  Fox-hunters  are 
heroes,  either  by  nature  or  prescription,  should  be 
up  to  the  height  of  le  dernier  gout.  His  own  fog- 
ging should  be  orthodox  and  in  style  ;  and  his 
saddle,  bridle,  whip,  and  spurs  equally  so.  No 
horse  is  well  adapted  to  the  service  of  the  field 
that  does  not  carry  a  saddle  well  and  securely ; 
nor  is  it  well  for  a  hunter  to  require  the  martin- 
gale. That  horse  has  the  best  mouth  and  temper 
for  the  hunt  that  will  ride  in  a  plain  easy  snaffle ; 
and  it  would  be  better  if  all  sharp  curbs  and 
bits  could  be  banished  from  the  field.  Practice 
at  the  bar,  and  at  fences,  ditches,  and  any 
moderate  jumps,  are  good  preparation  for  both 
the  young  Sportsman  and  the  young  horse ;  and 


it  ought  to  be  an  invariable  maxim  with  such^ 
to  avoid,  if  possible,  all  ticklish  and  dangerous 
jumps,  during  the  first  season  or  two.  Our  Artist 
sets  before  them  the  seat  for  a  flying  leap  at 
hurdles. 


-^'-  -\  i^'-  >  ■*'  ^V^'' 


FOX-HUNTING 


CHECK 


A  CHECK  ! — The  hounds,  from  some  cause 
or  other,  have  lost  the  scent.  That  which 
occurs  most  frequently  is,  the  fox  having  made  a 
burst,  and  finding  the  hounds  gaining  upon  him, 
will  suddenly  stop  to  a  new  fence,  or,  on  some 
convenient  opportunity,  return  upon  his  foil 
homewards.  This  being  done  suddenly  and 
cunningly,  the  hounds,  eager,  and  in  full  cry, 
unavoidably  overrun  and  lose  the  scent.  The 
Huntsman,  whose  business  is  always  to  be  as  near 
the  leading  hounds  as  possible,  should,  on  every 
occasion  of  this  kind,  remain  silent  and  quiet  upon 
his  horse,  looking  around  with  the  utmost  circum- 
spection, and  attending  chiefly  to  the  motions  of 
those  hounds  on  which  he  knows  the  greatest 
dependance  can  be  placed.  In  the  mean  time, 
he  is  making  the  best  judgment  in  his  power  as 
to  his  next  mode  of  proceeding.  He,  with  the 
Whippers-in,  now  encourage  the  hounds  to  spread 
widely,  well  knowing  the  almost  unerring  instinct 


of  those^  and  their  ability  to  recover  the  scent, 
should  that  be  possible.  So  soon  as  that  shall 
appear  hopeless,  and  not  before,  the  Huntsman 
must  make  a  cast  -with  the  hounds,  in  order  to  a 
fresh  scent.  This  check,  should  it  continue  any 
considerable  time,  brings  all  in ;  excepting, 
indeed,  those  unfortunates  who  have  been  lost 
during  the  burst :  or  Avho,  not  '  knowing  their 
place'  in  the  field,  have  lost  themselves,  and 
might  as  well  have  remained  at  home.  Some- 
times  this  occasion  presents  a  fine  coup-d'cvil  on 
the  spot — the  hounds,  the  Huntsman,  his  Chief, 
and  second  Whipper-in,  surrounded  by  the  whole 
company,  casting  about  with  eager  and  watchful 
eye,  and  impatient  for  a  halloo !  from  some 
quarter  or  other ;  the  horses  pricking  up  their 
ears,  and  looking  forward,  with  a  congenial 
anxiety  ;  and  the  young  and  inferior  dogs,  some 
standing  still  and  mute,  others  babbling,  and  all 
seeming  to  watch  and  be  governed  by  the  motions 
of  the  old  and  leading  hounds,  which  are  still 
eagerly  spreading  and  hunting  the  scent.  At 
this  point  it  is,  that  gentlemen,  seasoned  to  the 
field,  may  be  materially  assistant  to  the  Hunts- 
man, whilst  the  place  of  the  fresh  men  is  close  to 
those  waiting  and  laying  up  a  fund  of  experience. 
Should  the  leading  hounds  appear  determined 
to  continue  running  on  the  scent,  they  must  be 
mdulged ;     otherwise,     it     is    the     Huntsman's 


business  to  make  a  cast.  It  may  thus  happen, 
that  the  hounds  may  hunt  the  first  fox's  foil,  or 
hit  upon  a  fresh  scent ;  or  the  two  circumstances 
may  simultaneously  occur,  and  a  '  change  of  the 
hunt '  take  place ;  in  which  case  much  skill  is 
required,  in  both  the  Huntsman  and  his  assistants, 
to  prevent  a  division  of  the  hunt. 


FOX  HUNTING  LEAP 

SWISHING  AT  A  RASPER 

WE  apprehend  this  phrase — Swishing  at  a 
Rasper — to  be  provincial^  and  peculiar 
to  a  few  counties,  as  in  some,  we  have  found  it 
unknow^n  in  the  hunting  stables.  The  Artist, 
however,  has  given  a  good  solution  of  it.  It  is 
easily  conceivable,  that  few  cases  in  the  field 
present  more  danger,  or  require  more  practice 
and  wariness  than  riding  to  a  leap  in  company  ; 
especially  considering  the  practicability  of  the 
leap  itself,  the  proper  part  to  chuse,  what  is  to  be 
found  on  the  other  side,  and  the  care  which  may, 
or  may  not  prevail,  about  neck  and  bones,  with 
our  nearest  neighbours.  We  have  witnessed 
several  bad  accidents  in  this  case,  and  heard  of 
more.  A  young  man,  dashing  away,  and  proud 
of  being  in  front,  rode  at  a  fence,  on  the  other 
side  of  which,  broken  ground,  and  some  timber 
lying,  he  either  endeavoured  to  pull  up,  or  the 
horse  refused  to  leap :  at  the  instant,  two  gentle- 
men who  followed,  rode    upon    him,  and    threw 


down  both  him  and  his  horse.  He  was  so 
severely  disabled,  that  he  never  entered  the  field 
again ;  and  that,  which  was  far  more  lamentable, 
he  never  enjoyed  his  pristine  health. 

This  leads  to  the  topic  of  leaping  in  general, 
and  an  important  one  it  no  doubt  is.  Every 
gentleman,  particularly  the  young  ones,  will 
pursue  his  peculiar  bent  or  inclination,  whether 
that  may  be  for  '  riding-a-muck,'  if  such  a  phrase 
be  allowable,  or  neck-or-nothing  across  the 
country,  without  fear  of  risk  ;  or  on  a  deliberate 
system,  en  Martinet,  and  as  a  qualification  for  that 
exquisite  exhibition  of  hardihood  and  common  sense, 
the  STEEPLE  CHASE.  But,  according  to  the  very 
appropriate  motto  upon  the  coach  doors  of  a 
venerable  Lady  Abbess,  of  former  days,  and  which 
was  furnished  by  the  celebrated  George  Hanger, 
medio  tutissimns  ibis ;  and,  sooth  to  say,  that 
reasoning  holds  good  in  most  things,  a  middle 
course  being  generally  the  safest.  Our  aspirant 
then,  has  the  choice  of  a  middle  course,  or  if  we 
may  be  allowed  to  moralize  to  that  extent,  of  a 
prudent  one  in  riding  to  hounds.  We  do  not  by 
this  intend,  at  any  rate,  to  advocate  a  mean,  shift- 
ing and  pusillanimous  conduct,  of  all  others,  the 
most  out  of  nature,  in  hunting,  which  necessarily 
implies  certain  degrees  of  danger  as  well  as 
fatigue,  and  of  courage  and  enterprize  in  those 
who    aspire  to  follow  it.      Our   only  view   is,    to 


promote  these  througli  the  medium  of  a  sound 
discretion,  which  shall  embrace  a  due  regard  both 
for  the  safety  and  comfort  of  the  rider  and  his 
horse.  A  Hunter,  we  do  not  mean  a  Fresh  Man, 
should  never  refuse  a  fair  leap,  whether  at  fence, 
timber,  or  brook,  but  as  w^e  heartily  wish  him  to 
enjoy  the  sport  again,  we  shall  not  say  so  much 
for  a  dangerous  one,  which,  indeed,  he  may 
venture  to  take /browce,  and  not  to  make  a  'practice 
of  it,  should  he  so  please  ;  at  the  same  time,  well 
knowing  as  he  must,  in  such  a  case,  no  disgrace 
can  be  incurred  by  pulling  up  and  dismounting, 
and  should  a  little  time  be  lost,  a  limb,  a  lay-up, 
and  a  doctor's  bill,  may  probably  be  saved. 

We  are  ready  to  acknowledge  that  pulUng-up 
and  dismounting  savour  strongly  of  a  practice  not 
easy  to  be  complied  with  in  riding  to  speedy 
hounds,  which  induce  the  necessity  upon  all  those 
Sportsmen,  who  are  ambitious  of  being  in,  of 
crossing  the  country  with  the  utmost  dispatch. 
In  such  a  chace,  how  are  the  foremost  of  a  com- 
pany, riding  to  the  fence  at  all  they  can  do,  to 
have  any  choice?  They  who  hesitate,  must, 
amid  their  sage  deliberations,  be  unavoidably 
ridden  down.  Such  has  ever  been  the  risk  of 
hard  riding  to  hounds,  and  such  it  must  inevitably 
continue. 

There  are  two  old  modes  of  fencing,  one  of 
them  particularly,  coming  of  late  more  into  use — 


Creeping  and  Screwing.  Certainly  they  present 
facilities^  such  as  they  are,  for  crossing  the  most 
thickly  enclosed  country.  The  former  is  un- 
doubtedly safe  and  good  for  practice,  where  the 
ditches  are  wide  and  deep.  The  horse  is  taught 
to  creep  to  the  top  of  the  bank,  which  gives  a 
firm  rest  for  his  hinder  feet,  w  hence  he  is  enabled 
to  make  a  spring  that  will  clear  the  w  idest  ditch. 
Screwing,  is  forcing  a  horse,  too  often  by  the 
utmost  severity  of  whip  and  spur,  not  a  true 
sportman-like  practice,  through  the  thickest 
fences  of  quick,  briar,  and  thorn,  without  allowing 
him  to  jump,  should  there  be  no  ditch.  To  a 
through-bred,  or  thin-skinned  horse,  indeed,  to 
any  horse,  this  is  an  infernally  barbarous  practice, 
and  never  ought  to  have  been  revived.  The 
danger,  beside,  to  the  eyes,  both  of  man  and 
horse,  is  evident.  The  dressing  a  horse  too, 
afterwards,  with  the  prickles  and  thorns  sticking 
in  his  skin,  is  a  torturing  operation. 


FOX-HUNTING— DEATH 

WHOO  WHOOP ! 

THE  beauty  of  Fox-hunting  is — quickly  out 
of  covert^  a  strong  fox^  bent  resolutely  on 
a  straight  run  ;  fine  forenoon^  good  country^  with 
fair  jumping  enough,  by  way  of  exercise  in  that 
branch  for  both  horse  and  man ;  a  run  of  ten  or 
a  dozen  miles,  and  a  good  field  in,  to  see  the 
finish — time  to  find  another  fox.  Long  exhausting 
runs  and  dangers  incurred  and  escaped,  indeed 
afford  the  proud  recompense  of  story  and 
exultation  at  the  festive  board,  and  furnish  the 
diurnal  prints  with  relations  generally  interesting 
in  this  country ;  but  such  runs,  in  the  long  run, 
are  apt  to  make  very  heavy  abatements,  in  both 
the  pleasures  and  advantages  of  Fox-hunting. 
Again — a  long  day,  in  cold  and  drizzling  weather, 
over  slippery,  hilly,  and  broken  ground ;  difficult 
and  dangerous  fencing ;  the  hounds  repeatedly 
catching  a  scent,  then  losing  it ;  and  at  every 
cast  finding  a  check ;  the  Huntsman  and 
Whipper-in  at  their  wits'  ends  ;  the  whole  field 


straggling  about,  yawning,  working  their  arms 
against  their  sides  to  pump  a  little  animal  heat, 
and  rubbing  their  fingers ;  and  the  horses 
hanging  down  their  heads,  or  tossing  them  about, 
whilst  their  coats  stand  an  end,  as  though  they 
had  in  view  the  ghosts  of  their  grandsires  and 
dams — surely  the  best  bred  and  stoutest  Fox- 
hunter  must  acknowledge  this  to  be  a  damper  ! 

In  a  long  run,  however  numerous  the  field,  it 
seldom  happens  that  many  are  in  to  see  the 
death ;  because  that  w  ould  involve  two  not 
extremely  common  circumstances — namely,  many 
good  horses  and  many  capital  riders  to  hounds. 
Many,  in  general,  never  come  to  the  Huntsman's 
time :  he,  in  course,  is  in,  or  ought  to  be,  and 
whips  the  dogs  off,  as  soon  as  they  have  got  a 
snap,  and  killed.  He  then  takes  the  fox  up, 
keeping  it  for  the  coming  in  of  the  heads  of  the 
field,  when  he  sings  out  the  usual  dirge  over  it, 
cuts  off  the  brush  and  a  foot,  sometimes  the  head, 
and  then  throws  the  carcase  to  the  hounds.  The 
substance  of  the  okl  and  regular  ceremony,  not 
observed  punctually  now-a-days,  excepting  on 
grand  occasions,  as  copied  from  the  poet  Cowper, 
once  a  spectator,  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Daniel,  in  his 
immortal  ^  Rural  Sports,'  is  as  follows : — The 
Huntsman,  taking  up  the  dead  fox  with  a 
pitchfork,  lodged  it  on  the  arm  of  a  tree,  about 
nine  feet  from  the    ground,  where  he   left  it    a 


considerable  time.  During  this  interval,  the 
Sportsmen  sat  on  their  horses,  contemplating  the 
dead  animal,  for  which  they  had  toiled  so  hard  ; 
whilst  the  hounds,  assembled  at  the  foot  of  the 
tree,  with  faces  not  less  expressive  of  the  most 
rational  delight,  contemplated  the  same  object. 
The  Huntsman,  remounted,  cut  off  a  foot  from 
Reynard,  and  threw  it  to  the  hounds,  which  one 
of  them  swallowed  whole,  like  a  bolus.  Alight- 
ing again,  and  drawing  down  the  fox  by  the 
hinder  legs,  he  desired  the  people,  who  were  by 
this  time  rather  numerous,  to  open  a  line  for  him 
right  and  left.  He  then  threw  the  fox  to  the 
distance  of  some  yards,  and,  screaming  like  a  Jiend, 
'  TEAR  HIM  TO  PIECES ! '  at  Icast  ten  times 
repeatedly,  the  pack  obeyed  him  completely,  by 
devouring  the  carcase  in  a  few  minutes.  The 
author  of  '  British  Field  Sports '  has  moralised 
on  this  curious  scene,  we  apprehend,  not 
inapplicably. 


B 


fPf^ 


mm 


RUNNING  IN  TO  A  FOX 

REYNARD  has  now  done  his  best ;  he  is 
out-winded,  at  last,  out-footed,  and  those 
fatal  ministers  of  death,  the  hounds,  are  at  his 
brush !  But  he  is  not  of  that  timid  race  of 
animals,  the  courage  of  which  lies  exclusively  in 
the  heel  and  the  wind ;  his  lies  also  in  the  heart, 
in  his  savage  and  pugnacious  nature ;  and, 
though  on  his  last  legs,  he  scorns  to  expose  his 
rear,  but  boldly  faces  about,  notwithstanding  the 
number  of  his  assailants,  and,  grinning  fiercely, 
shows  how  well  his  teeth  are  prepared  to  second 
his  resolution,  had  he  a  fair  and  equal  chance. 
Should  not  the  Huntsman,  his  Attendants,  or 
some  of  the  elite  of  the  hunt,  arrive  in  the  gods'- 
speed,  the  fox,  to  adopt  an  old  Essex  huntsman's 
choice  phraseology,  would  stand  about  as  good  a 
chance  as  a  cat  in  hell  without  claws  ;  he  would 
have  a  noble  funeral,  for  his  corpse  would  be 
divided  into  so  many  graves,  that  neither  the 
huntsman,  nor  the  devil  himself,  if  in  search, 
would    be    able    to    find    a    remnant    of  him,  his 


valuable  brush,  perhaps,  excepted;  though, 
indeed,  the  division  would  not  be  so  minute  as 
in  the  case  of  the  Huntsman  being  at  hand  to 
whip  off  the  leading  hounds,  and  wait  for  the 
coming  in  of  the  whole  pack. 


DIGGING  OUT 

CAREFUL  earth-stopping  may  prevent  the 
labour  of  digging  out.  The  first  considera- 
tion^  Hiheniian  or  otherwise,  in  digging  out  a  fox^ 
is,  whether  or  not  there  be  any  fox  to  dig  out ; 
for,  probably,  the  suspected  earth  may  contain  a 
rabbit  or  a  badger  instead  of  a  fox.  And, 
peradventure,  Reynard  may  not  have  taken  to 
earth,  or  may  have  entered  and  breathed  awhile, 
and  then  have  left  and  gone  forward.  The 
hounds,  or  terriers,  are  the  best  judges  and  rules 
to  go  by  in  the  case.  We  trust  it  has  been  long 
out  of  fashion,  to  put  a  dog  into  the  earth,  with 
the  view  of  his  drawing  the  fox ;  as,  instead  of 
effecting  that,  he  will  probably  come  out  crippled 
and  disappointed.  Indeed,  when  the  diggers 
have  neared  the  fox  so  close,  that  a  stick  will 
reach  him,  and  which  he  will  seize,  a  hound  may 
venture  to  lay  hold  on,  and  draw  him.  Some- 
times   pains     are    taken    to   funk    out    foxes    or 


l,ad.ers  with  sulphur.  It  is  of  consequence  to 
the  Success  of  fox-hunting,  to  extn-pate  the 
laLer  from  all  coverts,  as  those  anima  s  make 
th?su:>ngest  earths,  and  the  most  troublesome 
to  stop. 


FOX   HTNTKHS     lOASr 

N()\\  lor  ,1  \  it  \v  ll.illoo!  (»r  tho  w^porlsmrn 
assomblc^l,  .nul  in  IIumt  projUM-  fostunir. 
as  tViMU  \hc  chccviuix  labours  of  tlio  ilav.  v c 
>vill  siip|H>^o.  at  the  liospitahlr  uiansioii  ol'  llic 
Proprietor  ot'  tlio  l\n-k.  ami  iiiviiiix.  in  suff(^ssion. 
tlicir  ta\oiirito  toa^t"^.  in  wliicli.  >\  hot  lur  lirst  or 
last,  tho  *  Mothor  ot'  all  S()nls  "  is  novor  lor^oltiMi. 
Distrustinir  our  o>vn  iniaijinati(»n,  sonunvhat  dull 
at  thi^  nionuMit.  >vo  >vill  (juoto  a  low  ohooriui;- 
linos  I'nuii  a  Moll-knoun  autluu-  imi  this  subjorl. 
"  Now  iii>os  rt>unil  the  stmi;'  ot'  triumph  in  full 
ohorus — *  the  traitor  is  soi/.inl  on  and  dies'— 
imtil  tho  h(>spilal>K^  and  almost  rosponsivo  walls 
rosound.  I'ho  hapj)v  donuvstits,  thoso  Innnblo 
tViomls  o(  gonorous  opuk-noo,  rooovorod  from 
thoir  t'atiguos.  hooomo  inspired  by  tho  iionoral 
joy,  antl  inst  inctix  oly  join  in  tho  ohorus.  Tho 
st^no-  is  roliovod  by  ploasini»-  relations  of  hair- 
breadth oseapi^s  -of  the  staunehnoss  and  speed 
of  tlu^  h«>unds,  and  the  blood  and  i»amo  of  the 
horses;   nor    is    love    and    bi>aulv,    the    deliiiht    «)f 


true  Sportsmen,  ever  forgotten — old  friendships 
are  cemented  —  new  ones  cordially  formed. 
Happy,  if  no  acts  of  unmanly  cruelty  have 
passed,  to  cloud  the  sunshine  of  mirth  in  the 
bosom  of  sensibility." 

Among  the  enthusiasts  of  the  field,  in  a  former 
day,  the  dinner  fully  equalled,  in  its  Bacchanalian 
orgies,  the  extravaganza  of — Tear  him  to  pieces  ! 
As  at  the  death,  halloos  and  screams  !  with  the 
true  gestures,  and  in  the  real  character  of  maniacs, 
were  vociferated  around  the  table,  the  most  con- 
spicuous ornament  of  which  was,  a  bowl  of  first- 
rate  capacity,  replenished  with  strong  punch,  in 
which  the  bloody  head  of  a  fox  was  immersed,  and 
the  punch  then  stirred  up  with  the  brush.  The 
whole  party  were  then  re-baptised  with  the  dripping 
brush,  and  the  highly-improved  liquor  was  quaffed 
by  all,  with  the  true  gofit  of  enthusiastic  votaries 
of  the  chase.  A  noble  Duke  of  Northumberland 
out-Heroded  Herod  in  the  affair,  actually  devour- 
ing, at  a  revel  of  this  kind  part  of  a  fox's  head 
devilled !  His  Grace  must  have  had  a  good 
veiTcnin  relish. 

But,  could  any  thing  be  urged  against  these 
ceremonies  on  the  score  of  their  eccentricity  and 
folly,  they  at  least  are  not  open  to  any  objection 
in  a  moral  view.  So  much,  cannot  be  said  in 
favour  of  Hunting,  or  indeed  of  any  our  Sports 
in    which    animals    are    the    objects,    the    fellow 


feelings  of  which  with  ourselves,  have  never  been 
justly  and  duly  considered,  perhaps  we  should 
say  understood.  Fair  Play  and  No  Tortures 
ought  to  be  the  watch-words  of  the  true  Sports- 
man ;  and  we  have,  happily,  a  Society  for  the 
protection  of  animals,  patronized  by  men  of  high 
rank  and  of  professional  and  literary  eminence, 
which  will  use  all  their  influence,  to  circulate 
universally  that  blessed  maxim.  Our  surgeons 
and  physicians  also  are  publicly  declaring  against, 
and  reprobating  the  horrid  practice,  so  general 
and  so  disgusting,  particularly  in  France,  of  dis- 
secting animals  alive  ! 


COURSING. -PLATE   I 

GOING  OUT 

COURSING  is  the  pursuit  of  the  Hare  with 
greyhounds  or  gazehounds,  the  tall,  deep- 
breasted,  sharp  -  nosed,  smooth  -  haired  hound, 
which  hunts  by  the  ga::e  or  sight,  and  not  on 
the  scent  like  other  hounds.  The  greyhound 
is  a  primitive  race,  indigenous  to  the  south- 
eastern countries,  where  also  were  originally 
bred  the  courser-horse  or  blood-horse.  In  modern 
English  coursing,  greyhounds  alone  are  used,  or 
attended  by  spaniel-finders.  By  the  established 
laws  of  coursing,  a  brace  of  greyhounds  are  the 
proper  number  to  be  slipped  or  let  loose  upon  a 
hare ;  a  leash  are  too  many,  as  depriving  her  of 
her  fair  sporting  chance. 

Coursing,  in  a  thickly  inclosed  country,  is 
generally  the  pursuit  of  an  animal  running 
small  circles,  doubling  and  manoeuvring  to  avoid 
her  pursuers,  during  which,  she  is  either  soon 
chopped  up  by  one  or  other  of  the  greyhounds  ; 
or,  by  her    cunning    and    activity,  escapes   them 


and  gains  a  secure  retreat.  This  animal  is 
extremely  attached  to  the  place  of  her  birth, 
and  will  make  her  form,  or  resting-place,  as 
near  to  it  as  possible ;  and  to  this  she  will 
constantly  return,  by  the  same  menses  or  paths, 
even  after  having  been  chased  from  it,  to  the 
nearest  possible  risk  of  life.  The  hare  seldom 
quits  her  form  in  the  day  time  ;  like  most 
other  wild  animals,  sleeping  away  the  day,  and 
(juesting  for  her  food  during  the  stillness  of  the 
night. 


COURSING 

FINDING— SOHO! 

THE  exclamation,  Soho !  pronounced,  by 
the  old  coursing  yeomanry,  Sohow  !  is  a 
coursing  term  of  long  standing,  and  indicates 
that  Puss  has  just  started  into  view.  The 
watchful  Greyhounds  fly  forward  exultingly  at 
the  well-known  and  welcome  sound ;  the  horses 
prick  up  their  ears ;  and  in  a  numerous  field  all 
are  on  the  qui  vive.  The  following  rhyming 
description  of  the  form  of  a  Greyhound,  which, 
to  continue  sporting  our  antiquarian  lore,  was, 
in  the  olden  time,  pronounced  Grime,  however 
ancient,  will  never  be  out  of  date — the  privilege 
of  nature  and  truth  : — 

«'  Headed  like  a  Snake, 
Necked  like  a  Drake, 
Backed  like  a  Beam, 
Sided  like  a  Bream, 
Tailed  like  a  Rat, 
Footed  like  a  Cat." 


COURSING 

HILLOO!  HILLOO! 

HERE  we  have  the  proper  modern  costume 
for  a  day's  Sport  at  coursing  the  Hare  ; 
the  Greyhounds,  followed  by  the  Spaniel-finder, 
bounding  from  their  kennel,  in  high  glee,  to 
greet  their  beloved  master ;  the  noble  Horse,  in 
the  highest  condition,  bending  his  head  down, 
and  snuffing  his  well-known  sporting  associate 
the  dog.  The  Hilloo  !  is  the  coursing  Hark 
Forward ! 

The  Greyhound,  in  old  English,  the  gaze 
Hound,  so  termed  as  profiting  by  his  eyes,  as  the 
Spaniel  does  by  his  nose,  was  known,  and  in  the 
highest  estimation,  among  the  British,  probably 
even  in  the  time  of  their  being  under  the 
dominion  of  ancient  Rome.  He  was  always  a 
courtier,  and  great  favourite  among  the  ladies,  as 
appears  by  the  following  curious  anecdote  collected 
by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Daniel,  and  published  in  his 
justly  celebrated  ^  Rural  Sports:'- — ^^The  wife 
of  Robert  Bruce,  King  of  Scotland,  when  a 
5 


prisoner  to  Edward  I.  A.D.  1304-,  had  three  men 
and  three  women  servants,  three  greyhounds, 
plenty  of  game  and  fish,  and  the  fairest  house 
in  the  manor :  she  had,  beside,  the  following 
convenient  attendant  allowed  her ; — a  foot  boy, 
sober,  and  not  riotous,  to  make  her  bed." 

Within  the  last  fifty  or  sixty  years,  the  old 
coarse  breed  of  Greyhounds  has  gradually  dis- 
appeared, and  they  have  been  bred  entirely  for 
"fineness,  symmetry  and  speed  ;  being  assimilated, 
as  nearly  as  possible,  to  the  race  horse,  their 
rival  in  that  qualification.  We  had  formerly  a 
trial  of  speed  over  the  course  at  Doncaster, 
between  a  racing  mare  and  a  greyhound,  the 
mare  winning  but  by  a  head.  The  mare,  matched 
for  one  hundred  guineas,  started  alone,  and  had 
gallopped  a  mile,  when  a  greyhound-bitch  joined 
her,  and  ran  with  her  head  to  head,  the  remain- 
ing three  miles,  the  jockey  favouring  the  play, 
and  the  mare  showing  the  usual  emulation. 
Betting  at  the  distance-post,  five  to  four  on  the 
bitch.  A  celebrated  veterinary  and  sporting 
writer,  thus  describes  this  species  : — Fine  grey- 
hounds have,  like  fine  horses,  a  general  proportion, 
a  certain  elegance  of  parts,  length,  and  are  full 
of  muscles,  and  their  hocks  are  let  down  to  the 
ground  behind,  and  stand  from  them  ;  and  so 
supply  the  want  of  a  long  pastern ;  their  feet 
or  toes  are  made  longer  than  those  of  any  other 


dogs  that  can  be  named  :  to  this  may  be  added, 
their  loins  or  fillets,  are  more  conspicuously  broad 
and  muscular,  conferring  on  them  great  power 
for  speedy  exertion.  A  fine  skin  with  soft  thin 
hair,  are  deemed  characteristic  of  the  highest 
blood  in  the  modern  greyhound  ;  and  the  crack 
colours  have  been,  during  some  years,  black,  blue, 
or  a  mixture  of  those.  Whether  this  fineness  in 
the  modern  breed,  has  resulted  from  a  cross  with 
the  delicate,  but  useless  Italian  greyhound,  has 
not  hitherto  been  ascertained.  Our  Coursers  of 
the  old  school,  hold  that,  in  Greyhounds,  goodness 
is,  in  general,  derived  from  the  bitch,  a  notion 
which  must  not  be  taken  for  gospel,  though, 
perhaps,  bitches  generally  have  most  speed. 
The  lighest  whelps,  and  those  which  show  length 
and  bone,  and  particularly  the  broadest  muscular 
expansion  of  the,  thigh,  are  esteemed  of  the 
greatest  promise.  In  order  to  rear  a  well-bred 
and  thorough-shaped  Greyhound,  to  the  highest 
excellence,  he  ought  not  to  be  entered  to  game 
until  the  fifteenth  or  eighteenth  month ;  but 
twelve,  and  even  ten  months  old,  with  bitches, 
is  a  more  common  period.  In  coursing  an  open 
country,  an  actual  race  of  half-a-dozen  miles 
sometimes  occurs,  at  the  top  of  the  speed  of 
the  animals  engaged,  when  Puss  is  fairly  run  tc 
death,  and  the  horses  and  dogs  to  a  stand-still. 


COURSING.— PLATE  IV 

PICKING  UP 

OVER  downs  (as  exhibited  in  the  Plate),  and 
marshes,  Coursing  is  a  different  and  more 
arduous  pursuit ;  and  a  course,  or  rather  hur,st,  of 
six  or  seven  miles  at  length,  and  such  may 
happen  when  the  subtlety  of  the  hare  convinces 
her  that  her  safety  lies  rather  in  her  speed  than 
in  her  manoeuvres,  will  be  sufficient  to  try  the 
game  as  well  as  the  speed  of  the  best-bred 
horses  and  dogs.  To  a  straight  course  like  this, 
it  is  the  first  object  of  the  Sportsman  to  compel 
the  hare  by  every  means  in  his  power ;  to  baffle 
her  attempts  to  double  and  turn,  and  to  obtain 
as  long  a  run  in  view  as  shall  be  possible.  Such 
has  sometimes  been  the  ardour  of  pursuit  in  the 
greyhound,  that  he  has  expired  the  instant  of  the 
completion  of  his  success  ;  and  in  one  recorded 
instance,  with  the  hare  in  his  mouth,  poor  puss 
taking  advantage  of  her  pursuer's  misfortune, 
and  making  her  escape  from  his  death-stricken 
jaws. 


The  great  English  Coursing -Meetings,  and 
matches  with  the  greyhounds^  are  held  annually 
at  Nenmiarket,  Snmffham  in  Norfolk,  and  Fliocton  in 
Yorkshire.  These^  attended  by  hundreds  of 
Sportsmen^  mounted  on  the  best-bred  hunters^ 
are  conducted  according  to  the  old-established 
laws  of  coursing,  handed  down  to  us  from  the 
reign  of  Elizabeth,  the  great  patroness  of  the 
chase.  In  those  days,  deer  also  Avere  coursed 
by  the  greyhound,  a  practice  not  in  modern  use^, 
excepting  on  particular  occasions  in  parks. 


;-*ij^ 


COURSING.— PLATE  V 

DEATH  OF  THE  HARE 

THVj  present  Plate  exhibits  tlie  completion 
of  the  Course  ;  and  the  greyhounds 
casting  their  eager  regards  towards  the  object, 
which  natural  instinct  has  taught  them  to  pursue, 
(xrave  philosophers  have  affected  to  smile,  and 
to  treat  with  derision,  a  scene  like  this, — the 
expense  of  men  and  horses,  the  labour  and  exer- 
tion, exclusive  of  the  risk  of  breaking  a  neck, 
and  all  for  what — why,  truly,  to  obtain  the 
carcase  and  skin  of  a  miserable  animal,  not 
intrinsically  worth  half-a-crown  !  Whilst  tender- 
hearted philanthropists  exclaim  at  the  cowardice, 
barbarism,  and  cruelty  of  chasing  and  harrassing 
a  timid  animal,  which  offends  or  injures  no  living 
creature,  and  the  dying  screams  of  which  resemble 
those  of  the  infant ! — an  animal,  too,  which  may 
always  be  obtained  by  the  more  merciful,  easy, 
and  quick  operation  of  the  gun. 

With  the  latter  class  of  reasoners,  we  shall  not 
enter  the  lists ;  but  with  respect  to  field  sports. 


generally,  it  is  not  the  mere  worth  of  the  animal 
chased,  singly  considered,  which  can  decide  the 
question,  since  various  other  considerations,  and 
those  of  no  slight  moment,  inevitably  interpose  ;  — 
the  natural  impulse  of  man,  as  well  as  of  animals, 
from  the  creation,  towards  the  chase ;  and,  in  the 
uncivilized  state,  its  absolute  necessity.  The 
arguments  for  its  high  gratification  to  those  who 
possess  leisure  and  wealth,  more  especially  in 
land,  and  for  its  undisputed  conduciveness  to 
health  and  hilarity,  will  ever  prove  decisive. 


*vlSIp/I| 

'1teg^&^   1 

i"^  ^^ 

^...".:vJ^ 

1 

COURSING 

GOING  HOME 

THE  sporting  labours  of  the  day  being 
successfully  finished,  our  steady  Courser, 
upon  his  equally  steady  and  well-trained  nag,  is 
proceeding  homeward,  with  that  leisure  which 
the  exertion,  just  past,  has  rendered  both 
desirable  and  necessary.  The  horse  will  thus 
■cool  himself  in  reaching  the  stable.  The  Course, 
however,  seems  not  to  have  been  a  hard  one, 
from  the  vigour  and  mettle  displayed  by  the 
dogs  in  their  way  home.  These  things  con- 
sidered, we  are  treated  with  the  view  of  a 
good  comfortable  lot  of  game,  and  impressed 
with  the  idea  of  a  country  well  stocked  with 
hares.  The  servant,  with  Puss  slung  across  his 
shoulder,  puts  the  present  writer  forcibly  in 
mind  of  a  circumstance  which  occurred  to  him 
at  eight  years  of  age,  in  Suffolk,  from  w^hich  he 
suffered  an  excess  of  fatigue,  always  recollected 
with  a  smile.  Early  in  the  shooting  season,  in 
warm,    muggy    weather,    and    over    very   heavy 


land,  he  went  out  with  an  old  uncle,  and  without 
any  attendant.  The  birds  had  probably  been 
much  disturbed,  would  not  lie,  nor  was  it  possible 
to  get  near  enough  to  them  to  make  it  worth 
while  to  draw  a  trigger.  On  the  point  of 
returning  home  empty  handed,  a  hare  started  ; 
old  Square-Toes,  on  the  alert,  fired  and  killed. 
Instead  of  popping  it  into  his  bag,  or  slinging 
it  across  his  own  shoulder,  the  old  gentleman 
threw  it  across  the  shoulder  of  his  hopeful 
nephew.  It  was  a  swinging  old  jack-hare,  and 
we  had  three  miles  home,  chiefly  across  ploughed 
land,  and  over  sundry  gates,  styles,  and  gaps. 
The  reader  will  not  wonder  that  a  little  eiffht- 
year-old  Sportsman  was  at  all  he  could  do  to 
get  through  a  course  like  this  with  credit. 
Though  fatigued  to  the  utmost,  and  shifting- 
the  load  from  side  to  side,  he  was  ashamed  to 
complain,  and  arrived  at  the  mansion  in  a  state 
of  perspiration,  similar  to  that  of  a  racer  that 
had  run  a  five-mile  sweat  under  the  heaviest 
allowance  of  clothes. 

Coursing  the  Hare,  a  favourite  diversion  in 
England  through  several  past  centuries,  is  always 
performed  with  greyhounds,  an  original  species 
of  the  dog,  and  of  high  antiquity.  The  modern 
species,  however,  has  varied  considerably  from 
the  ancient,  which  was  a  much  stouter,  more 
rough,  and  more  courageous  animal ;  and,  in  all 


probability,  not  tuiiial  in  speed,  the  great 
characteristic  of  the  greyhound  of  the  present 
time.  In  the  early  ages,  this  species  was  used 
in  hunting  the  wild  boar  and  the  wolf  by  our 
ancestors.  The  ancient  Greeks,  indeed,  coursed 
the  hare  with  gazehounds,  or  greyhounds,  and 
they  are,  in  modern  times,  confined  exclusively 
to  that  sj)ort.  To  course  fairly,  and  in  a 
sportsmanlike  style,  a  brace  of  greyhounds  only, 
should  be  slipped  to  a  hare ;  and  the  chief 
maxim  in  coursing  is,  when  the  dogs  have 
found,  for  the  partakers  of  the  sport  to  be  so 
distributed  and  disposed,  that  the  hare  may  be 
baulked  in  her  usual  attempts  to  turn,  and 
compelled  to  a  straight  course,  that  as  long  a 
run  as  possible,  and  as  full  a  view,  may  be 
obtained.  The  annual  s{)lendid  and  numerously 
attended  Coursing  Meetings,  fully  demonstrate 
the  high  estimation  in  which  the  Sport  is  held. 


SHOOTING 

GOING  OUT 

THE  Artist  presents  to  our  view  a  general 
outline  of  the  "  Going  Out "  for  a  Day's 
Shooting ;  exhibiting  the  Sportsman  and  Attend- 
ant, the  Dogs,  the  Horse,  all  in  the  appropriate 
costume  of  the  day.  Shooting,  to  do  the  thing 
with  ardour  and  perseverance,  particularly  over 
a  heavy  country,  is,  at  no  rate  a  fit  amusement 
for  a  milksop,  but  requires  some  roughness  of 
constitution ;  and  even  the  most  robust,  in  a 
long  day,  will  appreciate  the  convenience  of 
having  a  nag  at  hand,  to  rest  their  wearied 
loins  and  joints  :  some  shooters  prefer  riding  the 
day  throughout.  The  Shooting  Horse,  then,  as 
an  object  of  importance,  merits  particular  con- 
sideration :  In  the  first  place,  for  convenience 
sake,  he  should  be  of  the  galloway  size,  at  any 
rate  not  above  fourteen  hands  in  height ;  per- 
fectly quiet,  and  master  of  his  business,  that  is  to 
say,  steady  to  shot — to  be  shot  from ;  able  to 
jump  any  moderate    fence    or  ditch,  and    expert 


at  brushing  through  any  gap  in  his  way :  a  good 
walker  and  canterer^  and  safe  on  his  legs  :  if  he 
will  follow^  and  lead  through  a  copse  or  wood, 
handily,  the  sum  of  his  perfection  will  be  nearly 
complete. 

A  complete  Sportsman  makes  assurance  double 
sure,  by  a  provision  of  the  necessary  materiel,  for 
every  possible  purpose,  and  to  meet  every 
probable  contingenc}-.  Clothing  demands  a  first 
consideration,  in  our  moist  and  fickle  climate,  so 
abundant  in  the  blessings  of  cold  and  rheumatism  ; 
the  latter  too  w^ell  known  aifection,  so  affection- 
ately attached  as  to  stick  close  to  a  man  through- 
out life.  In  all  our  field  sports,  the  head,  throat, 
and  feet,  should  be  amply  defended,  the  legs  and 
feet  by  good  firm  leather  and  water-proof  soles  : 
nor  will  the  keen  air  permit  the  inside  to  be 
neglected ;  and,  after  a  few  hours'  excursion, 
belly-timber  will  not  fail  to  be  the  most  valuable 
timber  in  view,  however  woody  the  country.  A 
piece  of  hung-beef,  corned  pork,  or  any  solid,  will 
then  prove  a  stomach  jewel,  and  the  more  bright 
for  being  washed  with  a  draught  from  the  bottle 
of  sound  beer :  an  occasional  recourse,  also,  to 
the  liqueur-hottle,  in  a  cold  and  foggy  air,  will 
prove,  in  the  Turf  phrase,  a  good  hedge. 

The  prime  subject  of  the  Gun  has  filled 
volumes :  and  no  wonder,  since  the  invention 
of  that  fatal  black    powder  Mrought    so    great   a 


change  in  human  affairs.  Among  the  rest,  it 
gave  a  vast  fiicility  to  our  dominion  over  the 
beasts  of  the  field  and  the  fowls  of  the  air ;  and 
the  enjoyment  of  its  exercise,  which,  inde- 
pendently of  its  utility,  or  rather,  necessity,  has 
been  from  the  earliest  age  deemed  a  sport.  In 
the  choice  of  a  gun,  whether  a  single  or  double 
barrel  be  preferred,  there  are  two  paramount 
considerations — the  first,  its  being  trustworthy ; 
for  life  and  limb  are  intrusted  to  its  soundness ; 
and  he  is  not  fit  to  be  trusted  with  such  a  fatal 
implement,  who  has  not,  in  his  mind's  eye,  the 
deplorable  accidents  which  so  perpetually  occur ; 
and  the  second,  the  price  he  is  disposed,  or  can 
afford  to  encounter.  The  marks  of  proof,  it  is 
true,  are  found  upon  every  barrel  exposed  to 
sale,  which,  nevertheless,  is  no  absolute  security 
that  they  shall  never  burst,  since,  that  dreadful 
accidents  have  happened  to  so  many  of  high 
price,  and  even  from  the  crack  makers.  A 
careful  purchaser  may  then  satisfy  himself,  by 
having  the  gun  he  has  chosen  tried,  and  if  he 
be  very  scrupulous,  and  in  London,  he  may  have 
this  process  put  in  force,  by  fire  and  water,  or 
at  the  Target,  at  Baker's,  in  Whitechapel  Road  ; 
or,  he  may  have  the  common  trial  at  any  gun- 
smith's. As  to  the  price,  it  is  at  his  own  option, 
how  much  he  may  chuse  to  pay  for  feshion,  tak- 
ing this  with  him ;  the  goodness  and  effectiveness 


of  a  piece,  do  not  always  depend  on  either 
fashion,  maker,  or  price  ;  "  for  a  good  gun  is  a 
good  gun,  whether  it  cost  one  hundred  guineas, 
or  three  pounds  ten  shilUngs." — Lightness,  with 
sufficient  substance,  are  next  to  be  considered ; 
and  also  length,  the  most  convenient  degree 
of  which,  for  partridge  and  common  field-shoot- 
ing, was  formerly  supposed  to  be  about  three 
feet  in  the  barrel,  a  length,  which  present  fashion 
has  reduced  several  inches.  These  light  pieces 
are  certainly  most  convenient,  in  a  thick  and 
wood  country,  and  in  a  long  day.  The  most 
useful  colour  for  a  gun  barrel  is  brown ;  the  real 
goodness  of  a  lock,  fashionable  or  common, 
depends  on  the  medium  impressed  on  its  springs, 
between  too  great  stiffness,  and  too  much  readi- 
ness in  being  moved.  The  same  of  the  trigger. 
Some  persons,  from  habit  or  otherwise,  are  curious 
as  to  the  length  and  form  of  their  gun-stock. 
This,  however,  should  always  be  sufficiently  long, 
as,  in  case  of  the  accidental  bursting  of  a  barrel, 
the  danger  may  thence  be  probably  reduced. 
The  BALANCE  also  of  the  piece  has  its  due  con- 
sequence, and  there  should  always  be  sufficient 
weight  at  the  shoulder ;  since,  should  the  butt- 
end  be  overloaded,  or,  as  the  Old  Sportsmen 
term  it,  should  the  peice  be  ^butt-heavy,'  not 
only  will  the  weight  tell  in  a  long  day,  but  the 
aim  will  fail  of  a  portion  of  its  due  correctness. 


POINTERS 

A  POINTER  is  merely  a  poiiiting-/wMwr/ ;  but 
although,  probably,  any  hound  might  be 
taught  to  point,  or  set  the  game,  there  may  be  a 
variety  of  the  hound,  which  are  natural  pointers. 
This  seems  to  be  the  case.  There  is  a  hiatus, 
however  non  va/dc  de  fiend  us,  in  our  sporting 
records,  respecting  this  variety  of  the  hound. 
For  we  are  quite  in  the  dark,  as  to  the  period 
at  which  he  was  introduced  into  this  country, 
where,  in  former  days,  the  Setter  or  Setting- 
Spaniel  was  in  use  for  similar  purposes.  It  might, 
probably,  be  nearly  or  somewhat  subsequent  to 
the  Revolution.  It  is  agreed  that  we  obtained 
the  Pointer  from  Spain,  as  the  Spanish  pointer 
is  first  noticed  in  our  sporting  annals,  a  dog  much 
resembling  the  old  Southern  hound,  in  head,  ear, 
exquisite  fineness  of  nose,  and  general  heaviness. 
This  original  pointer  has  been  since  crossed  with 
the  modern  English  fox-hound,  thereby  giving 
him  superior  lightness,  elegance  of  form,  and 
speed,  but  detracting  from  his  olfactory  powers. 
6 


Very  few^  or  none^  of  the  true  Spanish  breed 
remain  in  this  country,  but  many  which  strongly 
resemble  them,  as  having  been  slightly  crossed  : 
the  Pointer  also  has  been  frequently  crossed  with 
the  Setter ;  indeed,  crossing  has  been  inter- 
changeable between  those  rival  breeds. 

The  purposes  to  which  the  gunner  applies  his 
Pointer  are  lojind  and  point  the  game  ;  and  also, 
particularly  in  the  absence  of  the  Spaniel,  to  find 
and  bring  in  the  dead  or  wounded  game.  In 
order  to  the  due  performance  of  this  last  duty, 
the  dog  must  be  trained  to  have  a  tender  mouth, 
and  great  carefulness,  that  the  feather  of  the 
game  be  as  little  broken  as  possible,  and  the 
flesh  as  little  bruised  and  torn.  Some  Sportsmen 
contend  that  neither  Spaniel  nor  Pointer  should 
be  suffered  to  intermeddle  in  this  affair :  in  which 
case,  the  duty  of  finding,  however  difficult  and 
fatiguing,  must  devolve  upon  their  servants  or 
themselves. 

Of  all  sporting-dogs,  the  Pointer  is  the  most 
difficult  to  train,  not  only  as  being  void  of  that 
ductility  of  disposition  by  which  some  other 
species  are  distinguished,  but  that  his  lessons 
are  more  numerous  and  tedious,  and  requiring  a 
greater  share  of  sagacity  and  heed.  To  complete 
his  education,  he  must  be  made  staunch  to  '  bird, 
dog,  and  gun,' — to  back  his  partner — to  qua?ier 
his  ground    thoroughly  and    honestly, — to  know 


his  place,  and  to  yield  a  steady  obedience.  A 
stately,  high  -  ranging  Pointer,  endowed  with 
these  qualifications,  is  a  valuable  property  to  any 
gentleman  attached  to  the  sports  of  the  field. 
Pointers  and  Setters  may  be  used  indiscriminately 
for  the  same  purposes ;  but  the  former  are 
chiefly  employed  in  Partridge  and  Pheasant- 
shooting  :  in  the  pursuit  of  moor  -  game,  the 
Setter,  as  the  most  hardy,  is  now  universally 
preferred.  The  price  of  a  good  Pointer  is  about 
twenty  to  twenty-five  guineas ;  but  some  indi- 
viduals of  this  species,  endowed  with  very  high 
qualifications,  have  obtained  for  their  owners 
proportionate  prices,  of  which,  Colonel  Thornton's 
famous  Dash  is  a  well-known  example.  Dash 
was  sold  for  between  two  and  three  hundred 
pounds,  in  wine  and  other  property. 


SETTERS 

THE  Setter  is  an  old  English  variety  of  the 
shooting  Dog,  which  has  been  in  sporting 
use  between  two  and  three  centuries.  He  was 
doubtless,  originally  a  long-flewed  Spaniel,  taught 
to  find,  and  then  to  set  or  mark  the  game  for 
the  net  or  gun,  as  the  Pointer  has  been  since 
trained  to  stand,  or  point  it.  The  setter  of  the 
present  day,  long  since  universally  crossed  with 
the  Pointer,  the  two  breeds  having  indeed  been 
mutually  intermixed,  is  correctly  delineated  in 
the  annexed  Plate.  He  is  lower  in  stature  than 
the  Pointer,  but  of  considerable  length,  his  coat 
generally  sheeted  with  brown,  or  liver-colour  and 
white,  with  his  long  ears,  tail,  quarter,  and  legs 
feathered.  It  has  been  remarked  that  this  breed 
is  deficient  in  substance  upon  the  loins  ;  they, 
however,  resemble  in  that  respect  the  Spaniel, 
from  which  they  are  descended,  and  evince  no 
weakness  in  consequence,  being  among  the 
stoidest,  which  is  to  say,  most  lasting  of  sporting 
dogs. 


This  dog  is  endowed  by  nature,  in  an  eminent 
degree,  with  all  the  attractions  of  the  Spaniel, 
— sagacity,  affection  for  man,  and  a  pleasing 
docility.  —  He  is  the  successful  riv^al  of  his 
kinsman  the  Pointer,  and  preferred  upon  the 
moors,  and  in  thick  covert-shooting,  for  his 
unceasing  activity,  spirit,  and  hardiness,  which 
never  desert  him  in  the  longest  day ;  his  narrow, 
hard,  and  hairy  feet  fearing  no  kind  of  ground, 
and  his  coat  defying  the  closest  covers.  The 
Pointer  is,  nevertheless,  his  superior  for  stately 
figure,  high  ranging,  a  deep  rate,  and,  generally, 
steadiness.  Setters,  it  should  seem,  have  been 
always  in  high  estimation  in  Ireland,  from  the 
vast  prices  recorded  to  have  been  given  for  them 
in  that  country,  even  to  the  extent  of  exchanging 
a,  considerable  estate  in  land  for  a  single  dog  of 
this  breed !  In  this  country,  they  have  never 
attained  those  extraordinary  prices  which  have 
been  lavished  for  Pointers  ;  and  in  several  sales, 
in  the  last  Autumn,  at  Tattersall's,  Setters  were 
sold  at  the  hammer,  at  from  two  to  ten  guineas 
each.  The  Setter  is  liable  to  the  offensive 
discharge  from  the  ears  common  to  most  Spaniels, 
but  which  does  not  appear  in  dogs  kept  in  good 
condition,  until  the  approach  of  old  age  and 
■debility. 


GROUSE-SHOOTING 

THE  Season  for  shooting  red  game,  or  Grouse, 
commences  on  the  12th  of  August,  and 
ends  on  the  1 0th  of  December.  For  black  Grouse, 
from  August  20th  to  December  10th.  In  the 
Neiv  Forest,  Hants,  and  in  the  counties  of 
Somerset  and  Devon,  black  game,  or  heath-fowl, 
may  be  taken  between  December  10th  and 
September  1st.  The  possession  of  either  of  these 
species  of  game,  at  any  other  time  than  as  above 
stated,  incurs  a  forfeiture  of  ten  pounds  for  each 
offence. 

Shooting  the  red  Grouse  forms  the  subject  of 
the  opposite  Plate.  These  birds,  red  or  black, 
are  in  the  form  of,  but  larger  than,  the  partridge. 
The  black  Grouse  are  considerably  the  largest, 
some  of  them  weighing  upwards  of  four  pounds. 
They  perch  on  trees,  like  the  pheasant.  Grouse- 
shooting  has  long  been  a  favourite  and  prevailing 
sport,  and  the  game  itself  is  equally  a  favourite 
at  the  best  tables.  The  birds  are  easily  capable 
of  domestication. 


The  head  rendezvous  for  shooting  the  Grouse, 
are  the  Scots  and  Welsh  moors  and  mountains  ; 
in  general,  the  moors  and  wolds  of  the  west  and 
north  of  England.  The  nearest  places  for  this 
sport,  to  the  metropolis,  are  the  New  Forest, 
Hants,  and,  perhaps,  some  parts  of  Sussejr.  The 
pursuit  of  moor-game  is  not  to  be  classed  with 
those  gentle  exercises  which  afford  gratification, 
without  fatigue  to  the  Sportsman ;  on  the 
contrary,  it  is  one  of  the  most  laborious  and 
fatiguing  exertions  which  can  be  taken  Avith  the 
gun  ;  and,  indeed,  is  practised  by  those  ardent 
votaries  alone,  who,  in  pursuit  of  their  favourite 
diversion,  are  intimidated  neither  by  long 
journeys  perhaps  in  the  first  instance,  nor  by 
long  walks  or  rides,  beneath  a  burning  sun,  over 
moor,  mountain,  and  bog,  and  in  the  roughest 
ways  which  matted  heath,  loose  stones,  concealed 
cavities  in  the  earth,  and  obstructions  of  all 
kinds  can  produce. 

A  deep-flewed  Setter  of  the  old  breed,  is  the 
dog  to  be  preferred  to  all  others  for  the  moors, 
as  the  most  hardy  and  active,  and  likely  best  to 
stand  the  labour.  For  the  stoutest  of  such,, 
however,  half-a-day  of  Grouse-shooting,  more 
especially  in  the  early  part  of  the  season,  is  quite 
sufficient,  and  a  relay  of  dogs  in  proportion  is 
therefore  necessary.  The  Sportman's  attire 
ought    to    be    the    lightest  possible   over  flannel 


shirt  and  drawers,  the  feet  and  legs  being 
substantially  defended.  A  shooting-horse,  ac- 
customed to  the  country,  is  a  great  convenience. 
Great  caution  is  necessary  with  respect  to 
drinking  water,  or  too  cooling  liquors,  in  a  state 
of  perspiration  ;  and  in  the  management  of  the 
gun,  lest  a  sudden  fall  occasion  some  fatal 
accident. 

Grouse  lie  best  in  fine  weather,  and  may,  in 
the  early  season,  be  followed  from  eight  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  as  long  as  day-light  lasts, 
provided  the  stamina  and  inclination  of  the 
gunner  last  also.  A  good  refreshment  at  mid- 
day will  forward  this.  Late  in  the  Autumn, 
from  ten  to  two  or  three  o'clock,  is  the  longest 
shooting-day.  Large  shot,  and  the  heaviest  gun 
a  man  can  conveniently  carry,  will  then  be  found 
most  effective,  as  the  birds  will  run  to  a  great 
distance.  Sportsmen  generally  try  to  kill  the 
old  cock,  which  runs  cackling  away,  in  order  to 
deceive  and  lead  the  pursuers  from  the  brood. 
The  cock  being  dead,  the  pack  will  lie  until  the 
dogs  run  upon  them. 


PARTRIDGE-SHOOTING 

THE  season  for  Partridge-Shooting  com- 
mences September  1st,  and  finishes  on  the 
1st  of  February. 

There  are  several  varieties  of  the  Partridge 
species  in  the  British  Isles,  and  in  Ireland.  The 
chief  of  them,  and  the  most  nmiierous,  are  the 
common  indigenous  grey  birds,  and  the  red-legged 
kind,  which  have  been  introduced  from  France, 
and  which  are  found  in  Norfolk  and  Suffolk.  These 
occasionally  alight  and  roost  on  trees,  the  common 
variety  never.  Farther  mixtures  have  resulted 
from  these,  throwing  uncommon  colours.  By 
Sporting  usage.  Partridges  are  styled  birds,  and 
notwithstanding  their  great  plenty,  they  have 
ever  maintained  their  rank  at  the  best  tables  as 
a  delicacy. 

The  form  and  plumage  of  these  birds  are  soft 
and  beautiful ;  and,  like  the  Pheasant,  they  may 
be  domesticated,  and  the  breed  increased  in  any 
requisite  degree.  They  jmck  or  assemble,  and 
pair,  early   in    the  Spring,  unless    prevented    by 


severe  frost,  beginning  to  lay  in  six  or  seven 
weeks  after  pairing ;  and  from  a  numerous  nest 
of  eggs,  amounting  in  some  instances  to  upwards 
of  thirty,  produce  generally  one-third  more  of 
cocks  than  hens,  which  circumstance  is  afterwards 
the  occasion  of  so  many  fatal  battles  among  the 
cocks,  from  their  competition  for  the  too  limited 
number  of  females.  Hence  the  necessity  in 
preserves,  of  reducing  the  number  of  cocks, 
sometimes  by  netting  them.  The  breed,  however, 
is  liable  to  a  number  of  casualties,  by  which  it  is 
greatly  reduced  in  some  seasons,  as  in  the  two 
opposite  extremes  of  wet  and  drought.  Great 
numbers  also  of  the  eggs  and  young  birds  are 
annually  destroyed  by  field-vermin  and  birds  of 
prey.  The  Partridge  sits  twenty-one  days,  and 
in  a  good  season  broods  early  enough  in  June  for 
the  young  birds  to  fly  within  the  same  month. 

The  Partridge,  like  the  Pheasant,  feeds  during 
the  Summer-season  in  the  corn-fields,  and  is  to 
be  found,  during  the  Winter,  in  the  turnips,  and 
in  brakes,  and  in  other  coverts.  The  pointer  and 
setter,  with  or  without  spaniels,  are  the  dogs 
appropriate  to  this  game  ;  and  a  brace,  or  a  leash 
of  the  former,  are  a  very  handsome  attendance 
for  two  or  three  shooters.  According  to  the 
rules  of  Sporting,  not  always  so  well  observed  as 
is  necessary,  by  hot-headed  juvenile  gunners, 
every  one  should  wait  patiently  for  his  OAvn  bird. 


when  they  rise  singly,  rising  on  his  own  side.  A 
bird  rising  between  two  gunners  may  be,  in 
course,  shot  at  by  both.  When  the  covey,  being 
flushed,  rises  together,  every  gunner  should  mark 
a  bird,  and  watch  its  fall  ;  but  it  is  held  unfair  to 
'  flank  the  covey,'  or  fire  into  the  thickest  of  them, 
without  aiming  at  a  particular  bird.  One  great 
object,  never  to  be  neglected  by  shooters  in 
company,  is  to  beware  of  accidents. 


\ 


*^^% 


PHEASANT-SHOOTING 

PHEASANT-SHOOTING  commences  on  the 
1st  of  October,  and  ends  on  the  1st  of 
Februanj.  The  possession  of  either  Pheasants  or 
Partridges  at  any  other  time,  such  excepted  as  are 
kept  in  mews  for  breeding,  incurs  the  forfeiture  of 
five  pounds  for  every  bird,  by  the  Game  Laws  of 
England. 

The  counties  of  Siiffolk  and  Norfolk  are 
supposed  to  afford  the  best  Plieasant-shooting, 
their  coverts  and  preserves  breeding  an  immense 
stock.  These  beautiful  birds  lie  upon  the  corn 
and  stubbles,  and  in  the  adjoining  coverts  whilst 
any  corn  remains  abroad  for  their  support. 
Their  feeding-times  are  morning  and  evening. 
In  the  Winter  season,  their  food  consists  of  wild 
berries,  and  being  carnivorous,  they  not  only  prey 
upon  insects  and  reptiles,  but  upon  any  dead 
animal  or  carrion  which  falls  in  their  way. 

Furze  coverts  are  the  favourite  resort  and 
shelter  of  the  Pheasant,  which  also  delights  in 
the  opposite  situations  of  springy  and  boggy  soils. 


where  the  willow,  and  other  aquatics,  are  found 
in  clumps.  They  also  attach  themselves  to  the 
salt-marshes,  when  they  can  find  covert  in  the 
neighbourhood ;  and  in  any  of  the  above  situa- 
tions, if  fed  and  attended,  will  make  a  wonderful 
increase  ;  at  the  same  time,  they  are  not  given  to 
stray,  or  take  distant  flights,  although  constantly 
alarmed  by  the  gun.  The  covert  of  woods, 
however,  seems  necessary  to  Pheasants  in  the 
Winter  season,  and  they  generally  choose  the 
large  middle  branches  of  the  oak  upon  which  to 
roost.  Whilst  flying  up  to  perch,  at  sunset,  the 
Pheasant-cock  crows  three  or  four  times,  which  is 
answered  by  the  hen,  in  her  ascent,  with  a  single 
shrill  cry. 

The  provident  Sportsman,  by  ancient  custom, 
spares  the  Hen  Pheasant,  and  thins  the  cocks. 
With  respect  to  the  dogs  most  proper  for  this 
branch  of  sport,  in  woods  and  difficult  coverts, 
the  strongest  and  best  spaniels,  which  are  fear- 
less, and  able  to  thread  the  thicket,  however 
close  and  thorny,  undoubtedly  deserve  the  prefer- 
ence ;  and  a  good  cry  of  them,  the  fuller  of 
tongue  the  better,  will  be  found  of  the  greatest 
use,  as  well  as  most  pleasant  and  cheering,  in 
extensive  woods.  Newfoundland-dogs  have  been 
trained  with  success  to  wood  -  shooting  of 
Pheasants,  but  neither  those,  pointers  or  setters, 
can  do  the  business  of  spaniels  in  a  thick  covert. 


It  requires  experience  in  the  shooter  to  take  a 
connect  aim  at  the  Pheasant  when  sprung  among 
the  trees,  and  he  should  recollect  instantly  to 
wheel  to  the  right  or  left,  when  his  aim  may  be 
obstructed  by  an  intervening  tree.  Pheasants 
also,  like  Partridges,  which  know  the  gun, 
instead  of  springing,  will  run,  and  suffer  them- 
selves to  be  pursued  by  the  dogs ;  another 
respect  in  which  the  active  and  babbling  spaniel 
is  of  use.  In  the  early  season  especially,  and 
whilst  the  leaves  remain  upon  the  trees,  the 
Pheasant-shooter  must  not  be  too  late  in  the 
morning,  because  the  game  then  lies  too  high  to 
be  easily  found ;  nor  must  the  Sportsman  be  too 
delicate,  either  with  respect  to  his  person  or  his 
clothes,  both  of  which  may  acquire  the  honour 
of  some  wounds. 

*  Thus  through  the  yielding  woods  I  drive  along, 
With  various  fortune.     Oft  the  whirring  bird 
Eludes  my  threaten'd  aim  ;    or  makes  escape 
From  the  fast  following  shot,  by  numerous  boughs 
Half  intercepted  :  oft  the  unwelcome  hen, 
Secure  from  danger  of  the  sounding  gun, 
Rises  before  me.     But  enough  for  me 
The  spoils  I  gain.'  Vincent's  Fowling. 


FOWL   SHOOTING 

THIS  Sport,  or  rather  useful  occupatiou,  since 
it  affords  a  considerable,  as  well  as 
luxurious  addition  to  the  public  stock  of  provision, 
is,  in  course,  practised  upon  the  sea-coasts,  upon 
the  large  rivers  or  estuaries,  in  those  marshy  and 
flooded  districts  called  fens;  and,  in  general, 
wherever  are  found  extensive  pieces  of  water, 
with  margins  or  borders  presenting  the  proper 
shelter  of  reeds,  rushes,  and  aquatic  vegetation. 
The  eastern  and  western  coasts  of  England  are 
famous  for  this  diversion,  and  the  chief  fen-districts 
are  those  of  Cambridge,  the  Isle  of  Ely,  Rutland, 
and  Lincoln. 

The  aquatic  fowls  may  be  simply  classed  as 
swimmers,  and  divers,  and  iv ciders,  the  former 
living  upon  the  water,  the  latter  upon  its  margin, 
never  swimming,  but  wading  with  their  long  legs, 
and  thrusting  their  long  necks  and  bills  to  the 
bottom  in  search  of  their  prey.  The  principal 
aquatic  fowls,  and  which  are  usually  to  be  found 
in  the  markets  of  the  metropolis,  are — the  Duck 


and  Mallard  —  Dunhird  —  Easterli?io;  —  JVia;eo?i — 
Teal — Plover  and  Bittern.  Wild-geese,  the  largest 
of  aquatic  fowls,  are  seldom  eaten,  the  flesh  being 
coarse,  oily,  and  tasting  strongly  of  fish  ;  but  the 
young  broods,  often  taken  in  the  fens,  are  easily 
domesticated ;  and  being  corn-fed,  their  flesh 
proves  superior  in  flavour  to  that  of  the  common 
goose. 

The  methods  of  taking  Wild-fowl  are  various, 
that  of  the  decoy-ponds  being  the  most  wholesale 
and  considerable ;  and  upon  which  the  chief 
dependence  is  placed  for  the  supply  of  the 
markets.  These  ponds,  situate  near  the  sea  or 
large  rivers,  are  provided  with  decoy-fowl,  for  the 
purpose  of  enticing  the  wild  ones ;  which,  alight- 
ing in  flocks,  are  driven  with  the  help  of  trained 
dogs,  into  the  netted  creeks,  ditches,  or  pipes  of 
the  ponds,  where,  being  prevented  from  flight  by 
the  nets  above  them,  they  are  easily  taken.  In 
successful  seasons,  a  decoy-pond  is  a  very  valuable 
estate. 

Other  methods  are,  the  use  of  p?^«/i-  or  canoes, 
a  branch  of  the  sport  perhaps  no  where  so  much 
practised  among  us,  as  on  the  coast  of  Hants. 
Some  of  these  boats  carry  a  swivel  or  stanchion- 
gun,  of  great  length  and  calibre,  a  successful 
discharge  from  which  will  bring  down  two  or 
three  score,  and  upwards,  of  the  largest  fowl. 
This  being  generally  a    night-employment,  it    is 


obvious  that  a  great  niiiiiber  of  the  fowl,  only 
■wounded,  must  escape  the  most  diligent  search 
of  the  fowler  and  his  dogs  ;  and  it  is  wonderful  to 
observe  the  cunning  and  activity  of  the  gulls,  and 
other  sea-birds  of  prey,  in  attacking  and  devouring 
the  wounded  fowl ;  thereby  forwarding  nature's 
universal  expedient,  but  merciless  plan — eat  and 
he  eaten. 

Some  fowlers  venture  upon  the  ooze,  with  mud- 
shoes,  or  pattens,  in  order  to  approach,  or  wait 
for  the  birds.  Others  sink  an  old  cask  upon  the 
shore,  in  which  they  watch  their  game,  unseen 
and  unsuspected,  the  upper  part  of  the  cask  being 
left  sufficiently  above-ground,  to  admit  of  firing  a 
gun  through  a  loop-hole.  The  plate  before  us 
represents  a  shot  obtained  from  the  gunners  stalk- 
ing along  the  shore ;  this  is  still  more  certain 
where  the  sea  or  river  is  bounded  by  a  wall  bank. 
The  seasons  for  wild -fowl -shooting  are  both 
Winter  and  Summer,  both  night  and  day  ;  the 
night-work  being  most  perilous  and  laborious, 
adapted  solely  to  those  who  make  a  profit  or 
livelihood  by  it,  and  to  a  few  of  the  gallant 
description  of  enthusiastic  amate%irs.  Colonel 
Hawker  s  book  is  the  best  authority  on  this 
subject.  Any  shooter  may  take  a  day's  success- 
ful amusement  at  this  sport  with  a  common 
fowling-piece ;  but  if  he  do  not  mind  a  little 
extra  weight,  or  dread  a  somewhat  heavier  recoil 


upon  his  shoulder,  he  will  find  his  purpose  far 
better  answered  by  the  real  duck-gun  ;  the  barrel 
being  never  less  than  three  feet  eight  inches  in  length, 
nor  more  than  four  feet  four  inches,  the  stock  having 
the  proper  curve.  A  charge  for  this  gun  will 
contain  a  sufficient  number  of  the  larger  shot,  and 
execution  will  be  generally  done  at  the  distance 
of  upwards  of  fourscore  yards. 


SNIPE   SHOOTING 

SNIPES  are  to  be  found  in  most  countries^,  and 
are  bred  in  considerable  numbers  in  some 
parts  of  this,  although,  perhaps,  the  greater  part 
migrate  with  the  woodcock.  They  are  found 
generally  in  rushes,  bottoms,  and  upon  fen  and 
moor-land,  and  in  the  Winter-seasons  near  springs 
not  frozen.  Some  take  this  sport  without  the 
assistance  of  any  dog ;  but  generally  cocking- 
spaniels,  setters,  or  steady  pointers,  are  used. 
Snipe-shooting  is  a  test  of  the  marksman's  skill, 
and  excellence  at  this  sport  serves  to  complete  his 
qualification.  These  birds  lie  best  in  windy 
weather,  indeed  will  lie  until  nearly  under  the 
gunner's  feet.  Being  upon  their  walks,  it  is  usual 
to  go  silently  down  wind  first  of  all,  to  beat  up 
the  most  wild  ones  ;  then  let  go  a  pointer  up 
wind,  to  find  those  which  have  laid  close.  When 
a  Snipe  is  flushed,  mark,  as  it  'hangs  against  the 
wind.  But  no  writer  has  given  more  practical  or 
satisfactory  directions,  brief,  however,  for  Snipe- 
shooting,  than  the  experienced   Colonel   Haivker. 


The  Colonel  says^ — if  you  flush  them  nearly  under 
your  feet,  remain  perfectly  unconcerned,  until 
they  have  done  twisting  in  their  flight ;  then  fire  ; 
or  take  them  whilst  describing  the  semicircle, 
which  sometimes  gives  an  opportunity ;  but  if 
you  present  in  haste  (see  the  Plate),  you  cannot, 
from  a  common  panic,  bring  the  gun  up  to  a 
proper  aim.  If  they  rise  at  a  moderate  distance, 
dow?i  with  them  before  they  begin  their  evolutions. 
When  they  cross,  fire  well  forward.  Endeavour 
to  get  to  windward  of  them,  and  catch  a  cross 
shot,  by  which  you  will  not  be  so  embarrassed  by 
their  zig-zag  flight. 


BITTERN-SHOOTING 

IT  is  said  there  are  two  varieties  of  the  Bittern, 
the  common  and  the  HUle  Bittern  ;  but  there 
appears  to  be  no  other  distinction  than  that  of 
size,  the  quaUties  of  both  varieties  being  perfectly 
similar.  This  is  a  fen -hird,  of  considerable  re- 
semblance and  similar  habits  to  the  Heron,  but 
somewhat  smaller;  leading  a  solitary  life  in  the 
fens  and  marshes,  and  among  the  reeds  and  flags 
on  the  borders  of  rivers,  as  represented  in  the  Plate. 
Both  the  Heron  and  Bittern,  in  former  days,  were 
brought  to  table,  but  the  superiority  of  quality  in 
the  flesh  of  the  latter  is  striking,  considering  the 
resemblance  of  the  birds,  and  their  use  of  the 
same  kind  of  food.  The  flesh  of  the  Bittern  has 
no  fishy  taste,  but  is  of  a  high  flavour,  generally 
esteemed  superior  to  that  of  the  hare.  The 
Bittern  always  figured  as  a  capital  dish  at  our  old 
English  feasts ;  subsequently  with  the  peacock 
and  curlew,  losing  the  ground  of  fcishionable 
choice,  which,  however,  the  Bittern  has  regained, 
having  been  for  many  years  in  high  estimation. 


and  generally  to  be  seen  at  the  London  poulterers, 
whose  charge  for  this  biixl  is  from  half-a-guinea 
to  fifteen  shillings,  according  to  the  size. 

The  Bittern  is  a  common  European  aquatic  bird, 
and  breeds  in  this  country.  It  nests  in  April, 
amongst  reeds  and  rushes,  the  hen  laying  four, 
sometimes  six,  eggs  of  a  pale  ash-colour,  shaded 
with  green  :  she  sits  twenty-five  days,  and  after- 
wards, with  the  cock,  feeds  their  naked,  leggy, 
and  long-necked  brood,  upon  small  fish,  frogs, 
slugs,  and  insects,  during  nearly  as  long  a  period, 
before  they  are  able  to  shift  for  themselves.  The 
birds  of  prey,  which  are  accustomed  to  commit 
great  depredations  in  the  nests  of  water-fowl, 
never  venture  to  attack  those  of  the  Bittern,  one 
of  the  most  courageous  of  birds.  The  Bittern, 
like  the  Heron,  is  strongly  attached  to  some 
particular  and  secluded  spot,  where  they  will 
continue  in  solitary  pairs  for  a  length  of  time, 
unless  disturbed  by  the  fowler.  In  the  Autumn 
and  Winter  seasons,  these  birds  retire  to  the 
nearest  woods ;  if  the  woods  are  distant,  they 
take  their  journey  bv  night,  commencing  at 
sun-set,  by  soaring  aloft  in  a  spiral  ascent,  until 
lost  to  the  eye  which  watches  them,  always  whilst 
mounting,  making  a  cry  which  it  would  be 
difficult  to  describe.  In  this  Autumnal  retreat, 
they  are  known  chiefly  to  feed  upon  mice,  those 
animals    beincr    often    taken    whole    from    their 


stomachs,  and  on  this  provision  they  become  ven* 
fat.  In  the  Spring,  and  during  the  breeding- 
season,  the  male  Bittern  makes  a  deep,  hollow, 
lowing  noise,  during  the  morning  and  evening. 
This  will  be  a  signal  to  the  gmjner ;  but,  with  the 
view  of  increasing  and  preserving  the  breed,  may 
be  taken  as  a  note  indicating  forbearance.  It 
being  ascertained  in  the  evening,  that  is,  at  flight- 
time,  that  Bitterns  are  in  the  neighbourhood,  they 
may  be  hunted  with  Spaniels  in  the  morning,  in 
their  well-known  retreats,  where  they  will  some- 
times lie  exceedingly  close ;  and  at  others,  as  the 
present  writer  has  experienced,  be  equally  shy. 
This  bird  is  a  heavy  flyer,  and  a  large  mark,  but 
will  carry  away  a  great  deal  of  shot,  and  when 
dropped  from  a  wound  only,  is  dangerous  to  ap- 
proach, fighting  like  a  hawk,  with  its  bill  and 
claws.  The  male  Bittern  is  the  largest,  and  is 
sometimes  nearly  a  yard  in  length.  Their 
plumage  is  handsomely  variegated,  the  ground 
yellow,  marked  with  numerous  zig-zag  lines  of 
black.  The  head-feathers  are  long,  those  of  the 
neck  loose  and  waving. 


4':^ 


.'^% 


BANK  SHOOTING  FOR  FOWL 

THIS  is  a  good  representation  of  a  Sport 
which  the  present  writer  has  often  pur- 
sued. We  have  the  Gunners^  attended  by  their 
Water  Spaniels,  b'^^S  ^^^  yvAit  under  a  hill,  as  they 
usually  also  do  under  the  marsh,  or  sea  wall,  for 
the  rising  of  the  fowl,  in  expectation  of  getting  a 
shot.  The  dogs,  both  from  nature  and  training, 
vigilant,  and  equally  anxious  with  their  masters, 
are  ready  to  start  at  the  discharge  of  a  gun,  and 
bring  in  the  dead  or  wounded  fowl.  For  wild 
fowl  shooting,  the  guns  in  use  are  necessarily  of 
considerable  length  of  barrel  and  large  calibre,  as 
they  must  be  expected  to  do  execution  at  long 
distances,  and  to  carry  a  spreading  charge  of  large 
shot.  A  man  ought  to  have  some  considerable 
strength  of  arm,  and  firmness  of  body  and  nerve, 
to  use  these  pieces  with  effect ;  and  some  are  in 
use  which,  being  too  long  and  heavy  for  any  man 
to  present,  recourse  is  had  to  a  rest,  or  bumper,  as 
it  is  provincially  termed,  usualfy  a  stick  of  wood, 
with  a  cross  at   top,  on  which  to  rest  the  gun. 


These  guns  cany  a  vast  charge  of  shot^  and  some- 
times bring  down  an  ahnost  incredible  number  of 
fowl  at  a  shoot.  We  have  heard  of  a  man  in 
Suffolk  dropping  thirty-two  wild  geese  at  a  shot. 
We  have  also  known  a  things  one  would  suppose 
equally  wonderful — some  few  gentlemen^  from  an 
enthusiasm  for  this  Sport,  pass  whole  nights  in 
the  marshes,  and  on  the  small  inlets  near  the 
ocean,  in  the  most  severe  heart  -  chilling  and 
rheumatising  season.  The  sorts  of  fowl  chiefly 
in  pursuit  are  duck  and  mallard,  dun-birds,  wigeon, 
easterling,  and  a  few  others.  With  respect  to 
those  men  who  pursue  this  game  for  a  livelihood, 
they  ought  to  be  the  most  hardy  and  robust  of 
the  species  ;  and  whatever  profit  they  may  obtain, 
they  truly  earn  it  dear  enough.  From  the  decoys, 
which  are  in  favourable  seasons  very  profitable, 
and  the  labour  of  these  men,  oui-  tables  are  sup- 
plied with  wild  fowl,  and  generally  in  sufficient 
plenty.  Newfoundland  dogs,  where  they  can  be 
obtained,  have  been,  of  late  years,  used  in  this 
sport ;  and,  it  may  be  presumed,  are  to  be  pre- 
ferred to  all  others  for  wild  fowl  shootinoj. 


1^-?;  -I 


PUNTING  FOR  FOWL 

\  LL  the  world  has  seen  and  admired  '  Patience 
Jr\.  in  a  Punt/  the  work,  as  we  recollect,  of 
that  facetious  and  celebrated  amateur  caricaturist, 
the  late  H.  Bunbury,  Esq.  whose  drawings,  pro- 
voking irresistible  laughter,  adorn  some  of  the 
rooms  of  Barton  Hall,  in  Suifolk,  we  believe  the 
house  of  his  birth.  But  the  punting,  in  our 
eye,  is  not  in  pursuit  of  fish,  but  of  fowl,  never- 
theless requiring  equal  patience  and  phlegm ;  and 
incurring  far  greater  hardship  and  danger.  The 
punt,  in  the  eastern  counties,  usually  called  ajlat, 
is  a  flat-bottomed  boat,  which,  drawing  only  an 
inch  or  two  of  water,  will  float  along  the  creeks 
of  the  marshes,  or  over  the  ouze  in  the  great 
rivers  or  estuaries ;  enabling  the  gunner  silently 
to  approach  the  fowl,  within  shot,  at  their  feeding- 
places  ;  or  to  watch  and  get  a  shot  at  them  as 
they  fly  over.  Beside  the  great  gun,  fixed  on  the 
staunchion,  it  is  proi)er  to  have  other  pieces  ready 
loaded  ;  and  in  a  favourable  season  several  dogs 
may  be  employed.     We  were,  in  our  youth,  near 


the  sea  in  Suffolk,  much  attached  to  this  sport 
by  day,  but  always  begged  to  be  excused  by  night ; 
having  a  regard  for  number  one,  and  a  correct 
view  of  the  balance  between  pleasure  and  pain, 
somewhat  above  our  years.  A  caution  is  necessary 
against  overloading  the  punt,  as  we  recollect  the 
circumstance  of  one  having  two  men  on  board, 
being  overset,  fortunately,  as  it  happened  in  the 
day  time.  Flats  are  not  the  proper  embarkations 
for  those  hardy  fowlers,  who  venture  on  the  ocean, 
or  even  on  great  estuaries.  The  present  w^riter 
with  another  young  aspirant,  attended  by  a  sea- 
man, ran  over  Harwich  harbour  to  Landguard 
fort,  in  a  flat  with  a  lug-sail.  About  mid-way  of 
the  three  miles,  a  breeze  sprang  up  from  sea-ward  ; 
had  it  blown  stiff,  or  in  gusts,  we  must  have  gone 
over,  inevitably.  In  shooting  at  a  flight  of  fowl, 
gunners  always  find  it  necessary  to  take  their  aim 
well  before  them,  from  one,  or  two  or  three  feet, 
according  to  their  course  ;  and  another  necessary 
precaution  is,  to  keep  the  locks  of  their  guns  dry, 
either  by  proper  cover,  or  using  those  which  are 
said  to  be  waterproof. 


SLEDGING  FOR  FOA¥L 

THE  Sledge  is  merely  a  different  float  from 
the  Pmit,  applicable  to  a  similar  pm*pose. 
It  is  composed  of  rushes  or  the  like^  laid  over  a 
bottom  of  wood.  On  this  soft  bed^  as  the  Plate 
exhibits,  the  fowler  lies  extended  at  his  length, 
with  his  long  gmi  presented,  and  floats  about  the 
lake,  mere,  or  large  piece  of  water,  frequented  by 
fowl.  Certainly,  this  plan  does  not  present  the 
facilities  and  conveniences  of  a  punt ;  nor  are  we 
aware  that  sledging  is  practised  by  night.  It  is 
perhaps  not  so  liable  to  alarm  the  fowl  by  day  as 
a  boat.  These  shooters  have  also  their  plashes  or 
mud  shoes,  on  which  they  slip  over  the  ouze,  in 
search  of  the  fowl  they  may  have  shot,  a  service 
not  without  danger  by  night.  The  numbers  of 
fowl  shot  and  brought  away,  in  a  successful  day 
or  night,  are  wonderful ;  and  yet  the  wonder 
ceases,  when  we  consider,  that  upwards  of  seventy- 
four  brent  geese  have  been  dropped  by  a  single 
shot.  The  advantageous  time  for  wild  fowl  shoot- 
ing, is  either  the  first    breaking    up    of  a  sharp 


frost  and  deep  snow^  or  at  the  commencement, 
with  a  strong  easterly  wind  ;  in  both  these  crises, 
the  fowl  fly  lower  than  beneath  a  clear  sky  and 
settled  frost.  In  the  latter  case,  they  fly  with 
such  a  wonderful  rapidity,  and  must  often  be 
aimed  at  in  nearly  a  perpendicular  direction, 
perpetually  crossing  the  shooter,  that  a  practised 
hand,  with  a  good  piece  and  correct  lock,  are 
real  requisites  to  success.  Indeed,  all  fowl  do  not 
reach  the  speed  of  wild  swans,  or  brent  geese, 
the  former  of  which,  with  a  brisk  wind  in  their 
favour,  are  said  to  reach  the  wonderful  speed  or 
rate  of  one  hundred  miles  per  hour  !  When  killed 
they  seldom  fall  less  than  from  twenty  to  fifty 
yards  from  the  spot  where  they  were  stricken  by 
the  shot. 


POACHERS 

OUR  Poachers,  in  the  act  of  bagging  their 
game,  appear  suddenly  stopped,  with  their 
eyes  anxiously  directed  to  a  quarter,  whence  some 
noise  has  issued  that  may  portend  the  sudden 
pouncing  upon  them  of  the  keepers !  The 
watchful  and  faithful  dogs,  likewise,  share  in 
the  alarm  ;  and  the  lurcher,  standing  foremost, 
shows  great  agitation.  Thus  these  wretched 
men,  whether  in  their  nocturnal  expeditions, 
or  by  day,  in  their  insecure  home,  exist  in  a 
constant  state  of  anxiety,  which  confirmed  habit, 
and  desperation  alone,  can  render  supportable. 

The  methods  taken  by  this  class  of  outlaws,  as 
they  may  be  deemed,  are  generally  snaring  and 
netting  the  game  ;  shooting,  chiefly,  pheasants, 
which  are  a  sufficiently  visible  mark  on  the 
leafless  trees ;  and  they  sometimes  make  use 
of  a  game  cock  as  an  assistant,  and  various 
other  manoeuvres.  Poaching  is  carried  on  to  a 
great  extent,  by  the  miners,  in  those  districts, 
particularly   in    the   vicinity  of  the   lead    mines. 


The  trade  has  been  long  estabUshed  and  regular_, 
and  thence  is  suppUed  that  vast  body  of  the 
population,  great  part  of  it  in  opulent  circum- 
stances, which  certain  wise  and  noble  landed 
noodles  have  decided  shall  not  eat  game,  the 
common  property  of  a  whole  people,  without 
their  gracious  licence  and  permission.  In  con- 
tempt, however,  of  such  notable  resolve,  the 
regular  traders  have  always  dared  to  sell  game, 
which  they  purchase  from  those  irregular  pro- 
veditors,  the  Poachers.  The  stage-coaches 
materially  assist  in  the  transit  of  this  commodity 
to  the  metropolis ;  and  all  the  parties  concerned, 
bestow  their  broad  grins  and  their  contempt  on 
those  wiseacres,  who  still  feel  bold  in  opposing 
those  enlightened  and  patriotic  Members  of 
Parliament,  who  would  use  their  endeavours  to 
expunge  from  our  statute-book  that  tyrannical, 
bloody,  and  senseless  farrago  of  ancient  rubbish, 
too  well  known  by  the  name  of  the  Game  Laws. 

This  legislative  and  too  serious  burlesque  has 
introduced  and  perpetuated,  in  a  civilized  country, 
a  constant  state  of  warfare  between  two  classes  of 
the  inhabitants.  The  successors  and  imitators  of 
the  ancient  feudal  tyrants,  finding  no  other  means 
of  supporting  their  peculiar  laws  of  odious  monopoly 
than  by  an  armed  force,  have  had  recourse  to  an 
army  of  game-keepers.  Between  these,  and  the 
game    purveyors    for    the    nation,     or    poachers. 


constant  and  shameful  scenes  of  hostility  and 
bloodshed  are  going  forward.  However,  the 
newspaper  relations  of  these,  must  be  received 
with  some  grains  of  caution,  as  to  armies  of 
poachers,  or  of  such  numbers  in  a  body,  as  are 
said  to  march  together.  From  two,  to  four  or 
five,  are  the  most  usual  numbers,  and  they  are 
generally  well  armed.  They  sometimes  make 
use  of  the  air-gun  to  prevent  discovery.  The 
keepers  have  smarted  so  severely  in  some  of 
these  encounters,  that  it  is  reported,  they,  as  a 
body  generally,  are  not  much  enamoured  of  the 
service  ;  and  a  poulterer,  of  whom  we  occasionally 
purchase  game,  has  lately  informed  us,  that,  on 
several  large  estates,  the  keepers  have  come  to 
a  compromise  with  their  adversaries,  wink  at 
their  employment,  and  have  only,  now  and  then, 
a  pro  forma  brush  with  them,  to  save  appearances. 
Unjust  and  impolitic  laws,  in  an  enlightened  state 
of  society,  necessarily  defeat  their  own  ends  ;  nor 
will  mere  half-way  and  palliative  legislation  much 
amend  the  matter. 


FERRETING  RABBITS 

THE  prolific  nature  of  rabbits,  and  the  de- 
struction they  occasion  to  the  land  and 
crops  of  the  farmers  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
the  warrens,  renders  it  necessary  that  corre- 
sponding exertions  should  be  made  to  keep  their 
continually  increasing  numbers  under.  For  this 
purpose,  the  snare  and  springe  is  frequently  used 
as  an  auxiliary  to  the  gun ;  but,  owing  to  the 
profit  accruing  from  their  skins  and  carcases 
when  in  a  wild  state,  the  breed  is  encouraged, 
to  the  detriment  of  every  one  but  the  warrener 
and  the  poacher. 

The  ferret  in  its  wild  state,  is  a  most  destructive 
enemy  to  the  rabbit,  and  when  domesticated  is 
used  for  the  purpose  of  either  drawing  or  driving 
them  from  their  burrows. 

To  bring  the  ferret  to  a  knowledge  of  what 
is  required  of  him,  is  to  be  accomplished  only 
by  frequent  employment  with  the  more  domestic 
ones,  whose  sagacity  generally  complete  what  art 
can   with    difficulty    teach,    though    in    some,    so 


inveterate  is  habit^  that  they  can  never  be 
reclaimed  from  kilHng. 

The  warrener  having  a  nmnber  of  ferrets  that 
he  can  depend  on,  and  provided  with  his  dogs, 
netting,  &c.  with  which  to  surround  the  burrows 
for  some  distance,  he  proceeds  to  send  a  single 
ferret  in.  Owing  to  their  depth  and  intricacy, 
it  occupies  some  time  before  the  ferret  can  find 
his  adversary,  who  by  occupying  the  compartment 
the  ferret  has  previously  searched,  frequently 
baffles  his  sagacity ;  and  sometimes  the  ferret, 
finding  an  outlet  unperceived  by  his  master, 
makes  his  escape  to  his  native  woods.  When  a 
reasonable  time  has  elapsed,  and  neither  the 
rabbit  or  ferret  make  their  appearance,  another, 
and  sometimes  two  are  sent  in,  for  it  may  happen 
that  a  rabbit  is  a  match  for  his  antagonist.  Let 
the  reader  suppose  a  ferret  in  view  of  his  prize, 
the  rabbit  at  the  bottom  of  his  burrow,  waiting 
with  anxiety  an  opportunity  to  spring  over  his 
enemy,  and  the  ferret  watching  the  moment  to 
seize  him  in  his  attempt,  his  eyes  glaring  with 
an  eagerness  and  keenness  hardly  surpassed  by 
the  brilliancy  of  fire  itself;  he  escapes,  pursued 
by  the  active  ferret,  and  on  his  emergence  into 
the  light  of  day,  he  is  seized  by  the  still  nimbler 
dogs,  and  in  an  instant  is  no  more  ! 

In  this  manner  successive  burrows  are  visited, 
and  great  numbers  taken.     To  prevent  the  ferret 


catching  the  rabbits  by  the  throats,  warreners  are 
obhged  to  sew  up  their  mouths,  a  precaution 
which  should  not  be  neglected,  or  the  rabbits 
would  be  killed  by  the  ferrets  in  their  retreats. 

This  sport  in  a  great  measure  depends  on  the 
tractability  of  the  ferrets.  The  eagerness  of  the 
dogs,  who  are  ever  on  the  alert,  and  who  seem 
to  enjoy  it  with  greater  zest  than  their  masters, 
greatly  adds  to  the  pleasure  and  amusement  of 
its  followers.  It  is  sometimes  necessary  to  dig 
the  ferret  out,  who  is  reluctant  to  leave  the 
asylum  he  has  cleared  of  its  inmates. 


RUNNING  A  BADGER  TO  BAY 

THPj  Badger  is  the  largest  animal  in  this 
country  of  the  vermin  class,  being  between 
two  and  three  feet  in  length,  exclusive  of  the 
tail,  and  weighs  from  fifteen  to  upwards  of  thirty 
pounds.  It  is  an  animal  of  thick  and  awkward 
form,  bearing  some  resemblance  to  the  hog ;  but 
in  its  progression,  treading  upon  the  whole  heel, 
like  the  bear.  It  was  formerly  said,  among  other 
wonderful  and  ridiculous  assertions,  that  the  legs 
of  the  Badger  were  longer  on  one  side  than  the 
other  ;  the  truth  is,  that  the  rather  disproportionate 
superior  length  of  the  hinder  legs  impedes  the 
animal's  progress  over  a  level  surface,  whilst  the 
circumstance  is  said  to  accelerate  it  over  ridged 
or  ploughed  land,  thereby  affording  it  an  adv^antage 
over  the  dog.  The  hoax  of  the  aged  and  blind 
Badgers  being  fed  by  the  young,  and  of  the  truly 
scientific  division  of  Badger-labour  in  the  digging 
and  construction  of  their  earths,  or  chambers,  the 
one  Badger  being  a  carter,  and  the  other  a  cart ! 
is  well  worthy  of  the  disciple   of  the  prince  of 


marvel-mongers,  Pliny.  The  legs  and  feet, 
however,  of  these  animals,  are  short,  and  very 
strong,  each  foot  being  armed  with  long  and 
powerful  claws,  by  which  they  are  enabled  to 
dig  their  subterraneous  dwellings,  having  but 
one  entrance,  yet  several  divisions  or  apartments. 
Modern  research  has  not  confirmed  the  ancient 
assertion  of  two  varieties  of  the  Badger,  the  one 
carnivorous,  the  other  feeding  only  upon  roots 
and  vegetables ;  nor  verified  the  bad  character 
of  the  animal,  formerly  believed  or  pretended, 
with  respect  to  his  mischievous  propensities.  He 
will  eat  flesh,  no  doubt,  but  being  rather  a  sluggish 
and  sleepy  animal,  he  is  generally  contented  with 
roots,  and  any  aliment  of  the  vegetable  kind  which 
can  be  obtained  without  the  labour  of  much  re- 
search. In  some  parts  of  the  world.  Badger's 
flesh  is  a  common  article  of  human  food  ;  and 
in  this  country.  Badger-hams  are  said  to  be 
excellent.  The  fat  and  skin  are  also  in  great 
request. 

This  animal  is  by  no  means  so  plentiful  in 
England  as  formerly,  nor  the  hunting  him  so 
much  in  vogue.  It  is  a  night-hunt,  by  moon- 
light. The  arrangement  is  to  stop  all  the  earths, 
one  or  two  excepted,  whilst  the  Badger  is  abroad 
questing,  and  to  place  a  sack  at  the  entrance  of 
the  holes  left  unstopped,  with  its  mouth  extended, 
the  drawing-strings    of  the    mouth   of  the   sack 


being  so  contrived  as  to  shut  the  mouth  fast, 
the  strings  being  strained.  The  Badger  driven 
to  earth  will  enter  the  sack,  strain  the  strings, 
and  confine  himself.  In  the  meantime,  it  is 
necessary  for  men  to  be  concealed  near  the  earth, 
in  order,  on  the  instant,  to  secure  the  prisoner. 
The  traps  being  thus  laid,  two  or  three  couples 
of  hounds,  or  terriers,  are  thrown  off,  at  the 
distance  of  about  half  or  three-quarters  of  a  mile 
from  the  earths.  These  start  and  drive  home 
the  game,  which  is  either  caught,  or  left  above- 
ground,  for  the  pursuit  of  the  hounds.  The  best 
of  this  sport  is,  when  the  hounds  run  in  upon 
the  Badger,  before  he  can  reach  his  den,  when 
he  will  stand  at  bay,  like  the  wild  boar,  and 
turning  upon  his  back,  his  natural  position  both 
for  offence  and  defence,  he  will  use  his  sharp 
teeth  and  claws  with  such  vigour  and  effect,  that 
two  or  three  couple  of  staunch  and  fierce  dogs 
will  not  achieve  a  conquest  over  him,  without 
retaining  many  bloody  marks  of  his  powers  and 
of  his  vengeance. 


OTTER  HUNTING 

THE  Otter  is  an  amphibious  animal^  formed 
like  the  Weasel,  but  of  considerable  size 
and  predatory  habits,  and  found  in  all  European 
countries ;  indeed,  generally  in  the  cold  and 
temperate  zones.  The  average  weight  of  this 
animal,  when  full  grown,  amounts  to  nearly  thirty 
pounds ;  the  maximum  being  upwards  of  forty. 
Its  flesh  is  rarely  eaten,  being  very  coarse,  and 
like  that  of  all  animals  which  feed  upon  fish,  of 
a  rank  and  disagreeable  flavour.  There  is  an 
exception,  however,  in  favour  of  the  inwards  of 
the  Otter,  and  the  heart  is  said  to  make  a  high- 
flavoured  and  luxurious  dish.  The  skin,  well 
dressed,  makes  soft  and  lasting  gloves,  which 
will  resist  the  wet  beyond  all  others.  The  Otter 
is  naturally  of  a  playful  disposition,  and  has  often 
been  domesticated  and  used  for  the  purpose  of 
catching  fish  ;  and  has  even  been  said  to  have 
accompanied  the  hounds  in  the  hunt  of  its  own 
kind.  Having  been  generally  hunted  with  the 
view  of  extirpation,  as    the   great   destroyers    of 


fish.  Otters  have  seldom  been  very  numerous  in 
this  country,  but  have  increased  considerably  in 
Essex,  where  has  lately  been  a  successful  hunt  of 
them. 

This  animal  breeds  but  once  in  the  year, 
producing  three  to  six  cubs.  It  frequents  fresh 
water,  particularly  narrow  rivers,  meres,  and 
ponds ;  and,  exclusive  of  the  destruction  made 
among  the  fish,  would  pay  an  equal  attention  to  any 
man's  poultry  at  a  reasonable  distance  from  the 
water-side.  The  Otter  is  a  fox  upon  land,  and 
has,  in  some  few  instances,  been  found  several 
miles  distant  from  the  water-side.  Alarmed,  it 
always  takes  water.  It  affects  a  dry  bed,  with  a 
portion  of  the  cunning  of  its  cousin-german,  the 
beaver,  forming  its  couch  under-ground,  with  a 
small  opening  or  mouth,  which  is  sometimes 
found  in  the  midst  of  a  thick  bush,  and  at  others, 
in  the  hollow  of  a  willow  tree,  or  even  in  the  top 
of  a  pollard. 

The  Otter  may  be  taken  by  nets  or  traps,  or 
hunted  and  speared.  Formerly,  according  to 
Somerville  the  poet,  the  deep-flewed,  heavy-eared 
hounds  were  used  in  this  hunt ;  but  any  strong 
and  courageous  dogs,  which  take  to  the  water 
readily,  will  answer  the  purpose  ;  granting  them 
of  size  and  weight  too  great  to  be  drawn  under 
water  by  the  Otter,  and  of  skin  sufficiently  thick 
to  endure  his  badger-like  and  radical  bite. 


HUNTING  THE  MARTIN 

THE  Plate  gives  a  very  natural  and  correct 
view  of  the  Martin  huiit^  which  is  con- 
ducted in  the  same  manner  as  that  of  the  squirrel. 
We  think,  however,  that,  terriers  are  better  fitted 
for  hunting  the  Martin,  than  heavier  dogs.  The 
chase  of  this  animal  will  sometimes  continue  for 
several  hours,  during  which  many  miles  of  ground 
will  be  run  over,  the  dogs,  if  at  a  check,  never 
losing,  as  the  cat  seldom  or  never  runs  to  earth  ; 
but  when  run  in  upon,  climbs  a  tree,  leaping  from 
one  tree  to  another,  or  takes  shelter  in  a  covert. 
When  the  cat  is  obstinate,  and  will  not  quit  the 
tree,  which  it  has  climbed  for  security,  and  the 
recovery  of  her  wind,  the  hounds  baying  her 
below,  it  is  usual  to  throw  at,  and  cudgel  her 
down.  Driven  to  her  last  shift,  she  will  sometimes 
jump  down,  and  alight  in  the  midst  of  the  very 
jaws  of  the  dogs,  all  and  every  one  mad  to  snap  her 
up,  which  she  generally  and  almost  miraculously 
eludes,  by  her  wonderfully  natural  agility.  This 
is  the  very  acme  of  the  sport,  and  the  escape  of 
9 


the  cat^  and  renewed  chase^  is  greeted  by  a  merry 
and  thundering  halloo  !  At  the  death,  if  the 
chase  has  not  been  long,  and  the  Martin  fresh, 
she  sells  her  life  dear,  and  never  fails  to  leave 
to  the  most  forward  dogs,  a  good  legacy,  by 
will,  w^ritten  on  their  noses. 

The  Martin  is  of  a  musky  and  sweet  odour, 
which  greatly  enhances  the  value  of  its  fur.  Its 
general  length  of  body  at  full  growth,  about  a 
foot  and  a  half,  with  a  bushy  tail  almost  a  foot 
long ;  of  a  black  tan  colour,  with  a  white  throat, 
the  belly  of  a  red  dusky  brown,  the  legs  and  feet 
of  a  chocolate  brown,  the  lower  sides  being 
covered  with  a  thick  ash  coloured  down,  similar 
to  the  under  coat  of  the  other  parts  of  the  body. 
The  whole  fur  is  of  a  lighter  hue  in  winter,  and 
when  old,  the  animal  is  nearly  ash  coloured. 
The  Martin,  like  the  squirrel,  inhabits  the  woods, 
breeding  in  hollow  trees,  and  making  use  of  the 
nests  of  magpies  and  the  larger  birds,  the  young 
of  which  it  may  have  devoured.  It  preys  on 
small  birds  and  game,  rats,  mice,  and  poultry, 
when  that  comes  within  its  reach  ;  and  is  said  to 
be  very  fond  of  honey,  whence  bee-hives  are  not 
very  safe  in  proximity  to  woods.  It  must  never 
be  suffered  near  pheasant  preserves,  as  it  will 
tear  those  valuable  birds  down  from  the  roost. 
We  have  often  wished  to  domesticate  the  Martin, 
on  account  of  its  agility  and  playfulness,  and  its 


pleasant  scent.  The  Pine  Martin  builds  its  nest 
on  the  summit  of  trees  of  the  pine  tribe.  This 
animal,  formerly  rather  plentiful  on  the  New- 
Forest,  and  in  Essex  and  Suffolk,  has  for  many 
years,  become  annually,  more  scarce. 


ANGLING 

THE  subject  of  the  accompanying  Plate  is 
Ground  Fishing,  with  a  float.  The  suc- 
cess of  the  angler  de})encls  not  only  on  a  perfect 
knowledge  of  the  requisite  baits  for  each  fish,  and 
for  each  successive  month,  but  a  careful  observance 
of  the  weather.  Fish  are  veiy  susceptible  of 
cold,  and  a  wind  from  the  N.  or  N.  E.  invariably 
drives  them  for  warmth,  into  holes,  among  the 
thickest  weeds,  or  under  shelving  banks,  whence 
the  most  tempting  baits  will  not  allure  them, 
particularly  in  pond  fishing.  The  best  time  is 
when  the  weather  is  moderately  wanii  and  close, 
the  motion  of  the  water  scarcely  perceptible,  and 
a  thin  smoke  gradually  rising  on  the  surface  of 
the  stream.  The  kinds  of  fish  angled  for  on  the 
ground,  are  chiefly  barbel,  bream,  carp,  chub, 
dace,  eels,  gudgeons,  pike,  perch,  roach,  trout, 
tench,  &c.  The  angler  having  arranged  his 
tackle  in  order  the  preceding  night,  should  never 
be  later  at  the  spot  than  four  o'clock,  when,  if 
the   weather   is    favourable,  he    may  depend  on 


success.  The  depth  bemg  ascertained,  he  fastens 
his  float  that  the  hook  may  swim  about  three 
inches  from  the  ground,  and  the  nearer  he  puts 
in  to  weeds,  shelving  banks,  or  under  the  roots  of 
trees,  the  more  successful  he  is  likely  to  prove  for 
perch,  which  generally  choose  their  haunts  in 
those  places,  or  in  deep  holes,  where  they  keep 
together  in  great  immbers.  The  perch  is  ex- 
tremely voracious,  and  as  he  is  seldom  known  to 
leave  a  bait  till  he  has  gorged  the  hook,  some 
time  should  be  allowed  him  for  that  purpose ; 
when  the  float  is  pulled  fairly  under  water,  then 
the  Angler  should  strike,  and  he  may  remain 
secure  of  his  fish.  By  this  method  he  may  take 
every  perch ;  but  if,  through  impatience,  he 
strike  before  the  hook  is  swallowed,  he  may  shift 
his  quarters,  for  not  one  will  he  take  in  that 
place. 

The  usual  period  for  perch  fishing,  is  the 
beginning  of  May,  and  it  may  be  continued  till 
September,  but  professed  Anglers  seldom  follow 
it  longer  than  the  end  of  June  or  the  commence- 
ment of  July.  The  common  baits  are  small  fish, 
lob  and  red  worms,  well  scoured,  cad-bait,  and 
gentles.  When  angling  for  the  perch  in  rapid 
streams,  among  weeds,  a  minnow  or  small  frog 
are  the  best  baits.  With  the  hook  placed  through 
the  upper  lip  of  the  minnow,  he  should  be  suffered 
to  swim  about  mid-deep,  having  a  large  cork  float 


on  the  line,  which  should  be  leaded  to  keep  it 
at  the  proper  de})th.  Perch  of  a  very  large  size 
are  thus  caught ;  and  as  any  attempt  to  kill  them 
by  play,  from  the  situation,  would  be  fruitless, 
the  tackle  should  be  of  a  strength  to  defy  his 
utmost  efforts.  This  branch  of  angling  will  put 
the  patience  of  the  sportsman  to  the  test,  for  he 
may  expect  to  catch  but  few,  and  far  between  ; 
but  they  will,  however,  amply  compensate  for  his 
time,  for  perch  caught  by  the  minnow  or  frog  in 
these  places,  are  of  great  weight  and  delicacy. 

Barbel  and  pike  are  generally  taken  by  trolling, 
with  live  bait ;  a  small  dace  or  gudgeon  is  pre- 
ferable. They  are  to  be  found  in  still,  shady, 
unfrequented  waters,  among  weeds  :  the  season 
is  from  the  beginning  of  May  to  the  end  of 
February.  The  rods  used  in  trolling  must  be 
strong,  about  three  yards  and  a  half  long,  and  the 
line  of  green  silk,  at  least  thirty,  which  will  make 
it  requisite  to  use  a  winch.  Plenty  of  time  must 
be  allowed  them  to  gorge  the  hook. 

Carp,  tench,  trout,  dace,  roach,  eels,  are  taken 
by  a  similar  method  to  the  perch,  except  that  a 
sweet  bait  is  best  for  the  two  former,  made  of 
flour  and  honey.  They  should  be  angled  for  as 
near  weeds  (if  in  ponds)  as  possible.  Trout,  dace, 
&c.  are  most  frequently  found  at  the  bottom  of 
deep,  clear,  gravelly  streams,  or  at  mill-tails,  where 
they  lie  in  great  numbers.     Owing  to  the  quantity 


of  feed  they  meet  with  in  the  latter  places,  they 
are  very  shy,  and  cautious  of  biting,  though  the 
largest  kinds  are  there  to  be  found.  Various 
other  ways  of  taking  fish  may  be  pursued ;  but 
as  we  do  not  mean  to  encourage  poaching,  or 
unsportsman-like  methods,  we  shall  abstain  from 
saying  anything  on  the  subject. 


FLY-FISHING 

FLY-FISHING  for  Trout  may  be  considered 
as  the  ue  plus  ultra  of  angling  ;  as  it  not 
only  requires  greater  skill  in  the  pursuit^  but 
yields  more  true  sport  than  any  other  mode  of 
fishing  in  practice.  The  season  commences  in 
the  beginning  of  Aprils  and  may  be  followed 
through  the  Summer  months.  The  earliest  hours 
are  generally  recommended,  but  the  Trout  or 
DacCj  will  take  a  fly  at  almost  any  hour  of  the 
day.  The  best  streams  are  mill,  or  rapid  shallow 
stony-bottom  rivers,  to  the  gravel  of  which  the 
sun  can  penetrate,  where  the  Trout  delight  to 
bask  in  its  heat.  The  angler  having  })rovided 
himself  with  a  light,  taper,  ringed  rod,  armed 
with  a  spear,  and  a  good  running  winch,  and  an 
assortment  of  well-made  flies,  he  will  consult  the 
appearance  of  the  weather :  if  the  wind  blow 
light  from  the  S.  or  S.  W.  he  may  depend  on 
good  sport.  Great  judgment  and  frequent  use  is 
required  to  throw  a  good  line.  The  length  of  it 
to  a  good  caster  is  immaterial.     The  angler,  hold- 


ing  the  rod  in  one  hancl^  and  the  hne  just  above 
the  fly  in  the  othei%  should  give  his  rod  a  motion 
from  right  to  left^  and,  as  he  moves  the  rod  back- 
wards, must  dismiss  the  Hne  from  his  hand  at  the 
same  time ;  in  raising  the  rod  to  throw  the  line, 
it  is  necessary  to  wave  the  rod  a  little  round  the 
head,  for  if  it  is  brought  directly  backwards,  or 
returned  before  it  has  streamed  its  full  length 
behind,  the  fly  will  be  whipped  off.  The  jDrofessed 
sportsman  only  bags  those  fish  that  he  may  feel 
a  pride  in  showing,  or  such  as  will  grace  his  table  ; 
the  smaller  fry  he  returns  to  their  native  element, 
as  it  will  increase  his  sport  at  a  future  opportunity. 
When  a  good  fish  is  hooked,  then  the  skill  of  the 
Fly- Fisher  appears,  and  it  is  truly  a  delight  to 
those  who  may  be  looking  on,  to  observe  the 
judgment  requisite  to  kill  the  fish.  Trout  and 
salmon-trout  are  taken  sometimes  of  so  large  a 
size,  that  it  excites  surprise  in  persons  unacquainted 
with  Fly  Fishing,  how  a  fish  can  be  brought  safely 
to  land  by  a  few  horse  hairs,  which,  but  for  the 
skill  of  the  angler,  were  it  ten  times  the  thickness, 
the  fish  would  snap  with  the  greatest  ease.  On 
the  whole,  independent  of  the  gratification 
Angling  affords,  we  know  of  no  amusement  more 
rational,  or  conducive  to  health,  than  Fly-Fishing. 


^-^••■r 


A  PRIZE-FIGHT 

PRIZE-FIGHTING  with  the  fists,  formerly 
styled  Boxing,  subsequently  Pugilism,  but 
in  our  modern  fashionable  slang,  Milling,  a  truly 
significant  term,  is  no  doubt  derived  from  the 
contentions  of  the  gladiators,  in  the  arena  of 
ancient  Rome,  where  the  most  bloody  scenes, 
wounds,  mutilation,  death  itself,  were  witnessed, 
not  barely  with  apathy,  but  with  extreme  and 
enthusiastic  delight  by  the  spectators,  male  and 
female,  and  those  in  the  most  elevated  ranks  of 
society  !  In  the  modern  English  milling  arena, 
in  good  and  comfortable  sooth,  we  do  not  indeed 
expect  or  desire  to  behold  sights  so  appalling  and 
tragical ;  yet  we  do  experience  a  gratification  in 
the  spectacle,  of  robust  bodily  powers,  and  un- 
daunted courage,  exerted  with  manly  fortitude 
and  true  English  game.  For  the  chronology  of 
this  sport,  and  the  biography  of  its  votaries,  w^e 
must  refer  our  readers  to  those  text-books,  the 
volumes  of  the  Sporting  Magazine,  and  Boxiana. 
It  is  sufficient  for  us  to  repeat,  that  pugilism,  in 
this  country,  has  been  contemporary  with  horse- 


racing,  and  that  their  rise^  progress,  improvement, 
and  popularity,  appear  to  have  been  simultaneous. 
Whatever  may  be  urged  against  the  roughness, 
vulgarity,  and  even  cruelty  of  this  sport,  there  is 
no  want  of  weighty  arguments  in  reply,  and  even 
independently  of  the  aid  of  special  pleading,  a 
fair  case  in  the  premises  may  be  easily  made  out. 
Contentions  are  unavoidable ;  the  science  of 
offence  and  defence  is  necessary  ;  without  practice 
science  is  vojc  et  preterea  nihil ;  and  pugilistic  con- 
tests, and  the  bodil}^  sufferings  arising  therefrom, 
are  voluntary.  Surely  then,  these  well-regulated 
matches  are  legitimate  objects  of  curiosity,  and 
worthy  the  attention  of  a  martial  people.  But 
our  grand  milling  argument  still  remains,  which, 
we  doubt  not,  will  prove  a  knock-down  blow  to 
the  adversaries  of  Prize-Fighting.  We  refer  to 
its  unquestionable  utility,  not  merely  as  an 
exercise  or  diversion,  but  even  in  a  moral  view  ; 
and  to  the  strong  hold  which  it  has  so  long  main- 
tained upon  the  inclinations  and  habits  of  the 
English  people.  Indeed,  the  regular  scientific 
system  of  pugilism  is  peculiar  to  this  country, 
neither  known  nor  practised  in  any  other.  Its 
moral  effects  have  been  strikingly  beneficial.  It 
has  not  only  afforded  a  vent  for  the  human 
passions  in  a  milder  form,  but  it  has  impressed  a 
superior  character  on  the  lower  orders  of  English- 
men, who,  in  consequence,  so  seldom  assume  that 


of  the  assassin.  ^'' The  appointment  of  umpires 
and  seconds,  the  shaking  of  hands  previously  to 
the  set-to,  as  much  as  to  say,  we  mean  to  contend 
fairly  and  like  men ;  the  general  solicitude  and 
caution  in  the  spectators,  that  perfect  equity  take 
place  between  the  contending  parties,  that  no 
foul  blow  be  stricken,  and  that  the  fallen  and  the 
vanquished  be  protected  ;  and,  lastly,  the  parting 
salute,  when  the  conqueror  seems  generously  to 
have  divested  himself  of  the  haughtiness  of 
triumph,  the  conquered  to  have  resigned  with  a 
natural  and  manly  submission,  and  both  to  have 
disburdened  their  hearts  of  all  malice  and  appetite 
of  revenge — is,  upon  the  whole,  and  in  all  its 
parts,  so  excellent  a  practical  system  of  ethics,  as 
no  country  can  boast,  and  has  chiefly  contributed 
to  form  the  characteristic  humanity  of  the  English 
nation." 

In  fact,  we  can  adduce  the  most  respectable 
authorities  in  favor  of  pugilism.  The  late 
patriotic  Mr.  Whithread,  in  the  Poor  Bill,  which 
he  introduced  into  the  House  of  Commons,  thus 
defended  boxing — ^^  We  must  choose  between  the 
fist  and  the  stiletto. ' '  And  Mr.  Knight,  in  his  elegant 
work  on  the  Principles  of  Taste,  goes  the  length 
of  affirming,  that  "  not  only  is  boxing  the  best 
guardian  of  the  morals  of  the  common  people, 
but,  perhaps,  the  only  security  now  left,  either 
for  our  civil  liberty  or  political  independence." 


The   plate    fully   and    correctly    expresses    the 
manner  and  costume  of  a  modern  Eng-lish  Prize-Fisht. 

o  o 

The  periodical  sparring  meetings  in  the  metropolis, 
are  well  known.  Two  circumstances,  with  respect 
to  this  sport,  are  greatly  to  be  regretted  ;  first, 
the  want  of  a  regular  pugilistic  theatre,  and  the 
frequent  degrading  necessity  of  stealing  a  boxing- 
match  ;  and  last,  but  not  least,  the  accompaniment 
of  bull  and  badger-baiting,  an  infamous  and 
nationally  disgraceful  practice,  on  which  we  have 
already  expressed  our  sentiments.  For  the  best 
specimens  of  the  modern  dang,  used  in  boxing 
descriptions,  we  once  more  refer  to  the  works  of 
the  ingenious  Mr.  Egan. 


DOG-FIGHT 

THIS  Sport  is  the  most  captivating,  the  very 
crack  of  all  others,  not  only  to  the  butchers 
and  drovers  of  the  metropolis,  but  to  the  whole 
herd  of  the  lowest  and  most  infamous  rabble  of 
nackers,  dog's-meat  men,  jackass  drivers,  prigs, 
kencrackers,  rum  kiddies,  flash  men,  and  knowing 
ones  of  most  descriptions.  The  far  greater  part 
of  the  business  is  transacted  in  the  fields,  near 
the  town,  westward,  and  towards  the  east,  beyond 
Battle-bridge,  where,  on  every  Sunday  morning, 
great  numbers  of  the  most  execrable  miscreants, 
under  heaven,  are  collected,  and  allowed  to 
perpetrate  the  most  horrible  cruelties  on  such 
unfortunate  animals  as  may  have  been  provided 
for  the  purpose,  or  may  fall  in  their  way.  The 
poor  cat,  stolen  from  her  home,  is  one  of  the 
most  common  victims.  These  are  the  great 
schools  of  barbarism  and  cruelty  for  the  lower 
classes,  and  the  best  nurseries  for  thieves  ;  and 
seem  to  be  winked  at  in  this  reforming  season, 
under  the  strange  notion,  that  'we  must  not 
interfere  with,  or  abridge  the  Sports  of  the  lower 
people.'     Whatever  policy  there  may  be  in  such 


a  proposition,  it  surely  has  not  much  morahty  to 
boast.  The  Sport,  however,  is  conducted  in  a 
more  regular  way  at  the  Westminster  Pit,  and  at 
Reuben  Martin's  Pit,  in  Tottenham  Court-road,  of 
which  the  plate  gives  a  very  correct  specimen. 
These  meetings  are  usually  attended  by  a  class 
somewhat  above  those  already  described,  and 
even  by  a  few  individual  choice  spirits  of  our 
Aristocracy.  Whether  Mr.  Lawrence,  in  his 
Discriminative  View  of  Animal  Sports,  classes 
Dog-fighting  among  the  legitimate  and  allowable, 
we  cannot  determine  ;  but  he  seems  to  make  no 
objection  to  ^voluntary  combats.'  There  was 
formerly  a  phrase  much  in  vogue  among  the  flash 
men  and  women  of  the  day,  applicable  to  both 
flats  and  sharps — '  He  does  not,  or  he  does,  know 
common  sense  from  dog -fighting.'  For  some 
years  past  the  Bull-terrier,  a  mixture  of  the  two 
breeds,  has  been  the  fashionable  sort  chosen  for 
this  choice  diversion.  Some  months  since,  there 
was  a  match  for  a  cool  hundred  between  the  tyke 
of  a  gallant  Colonel,  hight  Razor,  in  colour  white, 
and  the  buffer  of  Oxford  Bill,  Driver,  a  fallow- 
smut.  It  turned  out,  however,  to  be  a  double 
rum,  or  rather  queer  go,  as  the  Colonel  found 
to  his  cost,  being  clearly  out-generalled  by  his 
honourable  associates,  who  seem  to  have  known 
'  common  sense  from  dog-fighting,'  though  the 
Colonel  did  not. 


COCK-FIGHTING 

COCK-FIGHTING,  or  as  it  has  been  long 
styled,  Cocking,  is  a  sport  of  high  and 
classical  antiquity,  having  been  practised  by  the 
ancient  .Greeks  and  Ixomans,  and,  in  all  probability, 
by  the  ancient  Hindoos,  since  in  the  Eastern 
countries  customs  are  unvarying,  and  equally 
permanent  with  the  nations  themselves  by  whom 
they  are  practised ;  and  in  the  present  times,  this 
is  a  favourite  sport  with  the  natives  of  India, 
where  they  have  a  large  and  fine  breed  of  Game 
Cocks.  Yet,  probably,  Britain  and  Ireland  are  the 
only  countries  in  which,  by  analogy  of  the  race- 
horse, game,  or  thorough-bred  Cocks  are  kept 
apart,  expressly  for  the  purpose  of  fighting.  The 
common,  or  dung  -  hill  cock,  indeed,  of  all 
countries,  will  fight,  but  such  are  utterly  unable 
to  contend  with  that  species,  which,  like  the 
thorough-bred  horse  in  the  course,  nature  seems 
to  have  formed  with  peculiar  aptitude  and 
qualification  for  the  battle.  This  species  it  is, 
distinguished  by  symmetry  of  form,  fineness  of 
lo 


bone,  and  beauty  of  plumage,  which  has  been 
selected  by  our  original  amateurs  for  the  national 
diversion  of  Cock-fighting. 

Cock-fighting  has  been  practised  in  England 
during  seven  or  eight  centuries,  or  in  all  prob- 
ability much  longer,  since  it  is  the  opinion  of 
some  antiquaries,  that  it  was  originally  introduced 
by  the  ancient  Romans.  Its  head-quarters  in 
London  are  the  Cock-pit  Royal ;  in  the  country, 
it  generally  attends  racing,  as  there  is  seldom  a 
race  -  course  without  the  accompaniment  of  a 
Cock-pit. 

As  has  been  observed,  the  breed  of  Game  fowls 
is  a  distinct  variety,  trained  or  fed  for  the  express 
purpose  of  fighting  ;  and  the  breeds  of  this  or 
that  county,  or  breeder,  in  turn  bear  the  bell ; 
as  this  or  that  racing-blood  upon  the  turf  bears 
the  stamp  of  fashion,  until  supplanted  by  some 
other,  from  incidental  success.  The  young  Cock, 
being  well  bred,  and  of  sufficient  promise  from 
shape  and  size,  of  the  latter  a  medium  being 
preferred,  is  sent  to  his  walk,  as  it  is  called,  where 
he  remains  until  two  years  old ;  at  which  period 
he  attains  his  full  size  and  powers,  and  his  spurs 
their  perfection.  It  is  held  that  Cocks,  before 
the  completion  of  this  age,  do  not,  on  trial, 
discover  their  goodness  or  game,  however  con- 
spicuous their  courage.  Considerable  sums  are 
won  and  lost,  annually,  at  this  not  very  tender- 


hearted  diversion ;  and  a  certain  number  of 
persons  obtain  a  living  from  their  calling  as 
feeders.  The  Hesh  of  Game  fowls  has  ever 
maintained  the  highest  reputation  at  table,  for 
delicacy  and  flavour. 

In  the  justly  -  celebrated  and  decisive  naval 
engagement  of  Lord  Howe's  fleet  with  that  of 
France,  on  the  1st  of  June,  179^';.  a  game-cock  on 
board  one  of  our  ships  chanced  to  have  his  house 
beaten  to  pieces  by  a  shot,  or  some  falling  rigging, 
which  accident  set  him  at  liberty ;  the  feathered 
hero,  now  perched  on  the  stump  of  the  mainmast, 
which  had  been  carried  away,  continued  crowing 
and  clapping  his  wings  during  the  remainder  of 
the  engagement,  enjoying,  to  all  appearance,  the 
thundering  horrors  of  the  scene. — Philosophical 
and  Practical  Treatise  on  Horses. 

The  description  of  a  Welsh  Main  will  not 
contribute  to  elevate  the  diversion  of  Cock- 
fighting  in  the  estimation  of  those  w^ho  can  feel 
for  animal  nature.  It  consists  of  a  fixed  number 
of  pairs  of  cocks,  for  example,  sixteen.  These 
sixteen  first  enter  the  lists,  and  fight  until  the 
one  half  of  them  fall.  The  sixteen  conquerors 
are  again  pitted,  and  fight  the  battle  over  again, 
until  half  are  killed.  The  surviving  eight  are 
now  summoned  anew  to  play  an  effective  part  in 
the  same  tragedy.  The  four  left  are  compelled 
to    this    fatal    exhibition    a    fourth    time,    which 


leaves  a  single  pair  to  contend  for  final  victory, 
and  a  single  survivor  !  And  thus  thirty  -  one 
cocks  are  massacred,  partly  for  the  joke's  sake, 
however  sorry  the  joke,  but  chiefly  for  the  sake 
of  pelf.  We  recollect  the  account  of  a  famous 
Welsh  Main  of  former  times,  in  which  the  last 
pair  waged  internecine  battle,  the  conqueror 
making  a  last  and  successful  effort  with  his 
weapon,  and  striking  his  opponent  dead,  at  the 
instant  himself  falling  lifeless  with  excess  of 
exertion  : — thus,  in  the  language  of  King  Arthur, 
in  Tom  Thumb,  making  himself  death  hon  goose. 


BUIX-BAITING 

THE  figure  here  delineated,  with  great  truth 
and  spirit,  is  that  which  is  styled  a  Game- 
Bull,  namely,  one  which  is  naturally  spirited, 
fierce,  and  prone  to  the  combat,  and  which 
besides,  from  the  training  of  being  repeatedly 
baited,  has  acquired  a  skill  in  the  exercise  of 
his  dreadful  means  of  offence,  and  a  temper  and 
wariness  of  conduct  in  receiving  and  repelling 
the  attacks  of  his  antagonists  the  dogs.  The 
athletic  forms,  and  the  attitudes  of  the  bull- 
hankers  in  their  attempt  to  catch  and  break 
the  fall  of  the  dogs,  tossed  into  the  air,  are 
well  expressed. 

The  bull  is  generally  allowed  a  hole  in  the 
earth,  in  which  to  thrust  and  cover  his  nose 
and  lips,  his  most  vulnerable  parts,  and  of  this 
defence  he  learns  to  take  advantage  after  a 
few  attacks.  At  least  such  was  the  practice 
formerly.  The  true-bred  bull-dog  is  known  by 
certain  distinguishing  characteristics,  that,  in 
particular,  of  silence  in  his  attack ;  for  he  seldom 


or  never  barks.  He  always  attacks  his  enemy 
in  front,  aiming  at  the  head  and  face  chiefly, 
although  being  disappointed  in  those  parts,  he 
will  fasten  upon  the  throat.  He  will  seize  the 
eye,  but  his  favourite  aim  is  the  nether-jaw,  the 
lip,  or  the  tongue  ;  nature  seeming  to  have  taught 
him  instinctively,  that  those  parts  are  the  most 
vulnerable  and  most  convenient  for  his  tenacious 
gripe.  Having  thus  fixed  the  holders  of  his 
under-jaw,  in  the  lip  or  tongue  of  the  poor 
victim  bull,  the  latter  utters  a  most  tremendous 
and  piteous  roar,  and  these,  his  agonised  feelings, 
it  is  which  impart  supreme  delight  to  the  sensible 
hearts  of  the  surrounding  crew  ! 

Nothing  but  a  greater  force  than  is  in  his 
power  to  exert,  can  break  the  hold  of  the  bull- 
dog, and  he  is  endowed  by  nature  with  the 
highest  possible  degree  of  courage.  This  has 
been  repeatedly  put  to  the  most  cruel  tests,  by 
our  savage  English  blackguards.  The  four  feet 
of  a  bull-bitch  have  been  cut  off,  and  she  has 
run  at  the  bull  upon  her  bleeding  stumps  !  Very 
lately,  in  the  ivest,  near  Exeter,  a  bull-dog,  being 
tossed,  broke  a  leg  in  its  fall.  The  leg  was 
instantly  spliced,  and  the  dog  again,  in  that 
maimed  state,  ran  at  the  bull !  The  rumour 
of  this  beastly  act  of  cruelty  reaching  the 
magistracy,  seems  to  have  operated,  as  it  really 
ought,    in    the    cause    of    humanity ;    and    bull- 


baiting  is  prohibited  in  future,  in  that  place,  as 
a  breach  of  the  pubHc  peace.  May  this  be  a 
universal  example,  that  Englishmen  may  no 
longer  have  to  blush  for  the  government  of 
their  country !  The  bidl-Jighf.s  of  Spain  and 
Portugal  are  equally  atrocious,  but  far  more 
dangerous  and  manly  than  English  bull-baits. 
May  the  present  political  reforms,  in  those 
countries,  also  induce  moral  reforms,  corrective 
of  such  vicious  and  degrading  national  customs  ! 
To  a  late  work,  we  are  indebted  for  the 
following  account  of  the  origin  of  Bull-Baiting 
in  this  country.  The  first  bull-bait,  of  which 
any  record  is  to  be  found,  took  place  in  Lfwco/w- 
ihire,  in  the  reign  of  Ki?ig  John;  and  William, 
Earl  Warren,  Lord  of  Stamford,  has  the  infamous 
honour  of  being  handed  down  to  posterity,  as 
the  originator  and  patron  of  that  insensate  and 
beastly  diversion.  This  noble,  worthy  of  the 
half-savage  times  in  which  he  lived,  standing 
on  the  wall  of  Stamford  Castle,  saw  two  bulls 
fighting  for  a  female,  in  the  castle-meadow, 
until  one  of  the  bulls,  attacked  and  affrighted 
by  some  butchers'  dogs,  was  by  them  pursued 
quite  through  the  town.  This  sight  so  tickled 
and  aroused  the  sporting  sensations  of  the  noble 
Earl,  that  he  immediately  made  over,  as  a  gift 
to  the  butchers  of  the  town,  the  said  castle- 
meadow,  as   a    common,  after   the    first    crop    of 


grass  had  been  mowed,  on  condition  that  they 
should  annually  find  a  mad  bull,  the  day  six 
weeks  before  Christmas-day,  to  be  devoted  to 
that  sport,  which  was  to  be  continued  for  ever. 

In  one  or  two  instances,  our  clergy  have  stood 
forth  to  explain  the  wickedness  and  infamy  of 
this  unnatural  and  pseudo-diversion.  The  press 
has  taken  the  part  of  outraged  humanity ;  and, 
in  particular,  the  Sporting  Magazine,  infinitely  to 
it&  honour,  has,  for  a  series  of  years,  most 
perseveringly  exerted  itself  in  the  same  just 
and  moral  cause.  Their  exertions  have  been 
not  altogether  useless ;  for  although  bull-baiting 
and  the  baiting  of  other  animals  still  prevail, 
to  a  degree  to  be  lamented,  yet  the  extent  of 
such  barbarous  follies  is,  in  no  degree  of  com- 
parison, equal  to  that  of  former  times. 


1}EA11-BA1T1NG 

MR.  STRUTT,  in  his  excellent  and  amusing 
book  on  the  '  Spurts  and  Pasthnes  of  the 
People  of  Euglaud,'  makes  the  following  observa- 
tion, which,  although  we  cannot  accept  literally, 
no  doubt  affords  a  considerable  degree  of  con- 
solation to  those  who  wish  well  to  the  interests 
of  humanity,  and  to  the  moral  reputation  of  our 
country. — ^"^Bull  and  Bear-baiting  is  not  en- 
couraged by  persons  of  rank  and  opulence  in 
the  present  day ;  and  when  practised,  which 
rarely  happens,  it  is  attended  only  by  the  lowest 
and  most  despicable  part  of  the  people ;  which 
plainly  indicates  a  general  refinement  of  manners, 
and  prevalence  of  humanity  among  the  moderns  ; 
on  the  contrary,  this  barbarous  pastime  was 
highly  relished  by  the  nobility  of  former  ages, 
and  countenanced  by  persons  of  the  most  exalted 
rank,  and  without  exception  even  of  the  fair  sex." 
In  those  days  of  rudeness  and  insensibility, 
even  the  noble  and  generous  horse  and  patient 
ass    were   tortured    under    that    execrable    name 


for  diversion  —  baiting.  In  shorty  the  brute 
creation  was  ransacked^  to  find  out  animals  en- 
dowed with  the  keenest  sensibility^  in  order  to 
expose  it  to  the  most  violent  outrages.  A  theatre 
was  erected  in  London,  under  the  sanction  of 
both  Church  and  State,  for  the  keeping  of 
bulls  and  bears,  to  be  baited  for  public  diversion, 
by  great  English  bull-dogs,  as  a  foreign  writer 
expresses  it.  Both  Queen  Mary  and  Queen 
Elizabeth  took  delight  in  viewing  these  barbarous 
and  bloody  spectacles.  To  the  baiting,  frequently 
succeeded  so  mean  and  dastardly  an  entertain- 
ment, that  it  is  impossible  to  find  words  sufficiently 
expressive  of  loathing  and  contempt  in  which  to 
describe  it — whipping  a  blinded  bear !  This  was 
performed  by  five  or  six  men  standing  circularly 
with  whips,  which  they  exercised  upon  the  un- 
fortunate animal  without  mercy,  and  which  he 
could  not  avoid  on  account  of  his  chain.  So 
infatuated  were  the  good  people  of  this  country, 
in  the  sixteenth  century,  with  the  diversion  of 
witnessing  the  tortured  feelings  of  animals,  that 
a  cotemporary  writer  (Cartwright)  says  — "  If 
there  be  a  bear  or  a  bull  to  be  baited  in  the 
afternoon,  or  a  jackanapes  to  ride  on  horseback, 
the  minister  hurries  the  service  over  in  a  shame- 
ful manner,  in  order  to  be  present  at  the  show." 

The     Plate    discovers    full    as    much    of    this 
infamous  and  degrading  practice  as,  we   humbly 


presume^,  any  reader  of  common  sense  and  common 
humanity  would  desire  to  know.  We  learn  from 
*  Hudibras/  that  the  man  who  had  the  management 
of  the  bear  was  styled  the  hear-ivard,  and  that — 

"First  Trulla  staved  and  Cerdon  tailed." 

Staving  and  iaU'iug  then  may^  for  aught  we  know 
or  care^  be  still  among  the  technical  terms  of  the 
noble  art  of  Bear-baiting ;  in  w  hich  we  pretend 
to  no  knowledge  or  experience,  being  fair  and 
lawful  Sportsmen,  not  beastly  and  unnatural 
torturers  and  executioners ! 


BADGER-BAITING 

THIS  most  quiet  and  harmless  animal,  at  the 
same  time  possessing  invincible  and  end- 
less com^age,  has  the  misfortune  to  be  selected 
with  the  bull,  for  the  pious  national  English 
purpose  of  baiting.  Badger-baiting  is  even  yet 
customary  throughout  the  country,  at  fairs  and 
races,  and  in  the  outskirts  of  the  metropolis  at 
all  seasons,  as  a  standing  dish  of  amusement  for 
the  dissipated  and  vulgar  of  all  descriptions, 
noble,  gentle,  or  simple.  These  relics  of  ancient 
barbarism  are  chiefly  preserved  in  existence  by  a 
low  and  disreputable  class  of  publicans,  who  find 
an  interest  in  it,  and  whose  houses  are  frequently 
the  resort  of  bad  characters.  The  artist,  we 
think,  in  this  Plate,  has  evinced  both  know- 
ledge and  genius  in  depicting  the  countenances 
of  his  heroes.  Never  were  coldness  of  heart, 
and  a  mean,  grasping  disposition  better  pour- 
trayed  in  a  round  and  jolly  youthful  phiz, 
than  in  that  of  the  upright-shaped  gemman  with 
his  hand  upon  his  hip.     Granting  it  a  portrait. 


we  call  upon  the  original  to  look  upon  it  and  bless 
himself ! 

The  instant  of  opening  the  door  of  the  Badger's 
kennel,  the  dog  being  loosed,  darts  forward  with 
the  rapidity  of  a  shot,  into  the  box,  the  attendant 
still  retaining  hold  of  his  tail.  The  Badger  being 
drawn,  one  attendant,  upon  a  level  with  him  in 
sharpness  and  strength  of  teeth,  and  true  un- 
adulterated beastliness,  seizes  either  the  tail  or  leg 
of  the  dog,  which  he  bites  with  a  true  vermin 
gripe,  (smoke  his  phiz  !)  in  order,  by  the  extreme 
excitement  of  pain  of  a  superior  degree  to  that 
afforded  by  the  bite  of  the  Badger  himself, 
the^^aer  may  be  induced  to  let  go  his  hold  ;  in 
the  meantime  the  Badger's  ward  lays  hold  of  the 
tail,  w^hile  his  gemman,  keeping  an  exact  account 
of  the  time  expended  by  his  brother  brutes  in 
their  contention,  prepares  to  assist  in  returning 
the  Badger  to  his  box,  by  taking  him  by  the  tail 
or  pole.  Re-kennelled,  the  poor  devil  of  animal, 
which,  if  he  possess  the  power  of  wonderment, 
must  indeed  wonder  what  he  has  done  to  bring 
upon  himself  this  repeated  torture,  is  very  soon 
exposed  to  a  fresh  attack,  and  is  again  drawn  and 
replaced  ;  and  thus  he  suffers,  until  the  beastly 
inclinations  or  cupidity  of  his  torturers  and 
murderers  are  satiated  ! 

Whilst  we  decry,  and  denounce  at  the  bar  of 
humanity,    these    infjimous    and    torturing    pro- 


peiisities,  we  have  not  one  word  to  urge  against 
fairly  hunting  the  Badger  in  the  field,  and 
witnessing  those  natural  antipathies  and  con- 
sequent combats  between  him  and  the  vermin- 
dogs.  It  is  a  dispensation  of  nature^  and  these 
natural  antagonists  would  fight,  did  they  meet  in 
a  desart,  unaccompanied  by  man.  It  is  then  a 
lawful,  and  may  be  a  useful  sport ;  and,  finally, 
we  have  not  one  drop  of  imritanical,  mixed  M'ith 
our  sporting  blood. 

The  metropolitan  Badger-ward,  if  we  may  be 
allowed  to  adopt  that  ancient  phrase  of  the  bear- 
garden, keeps  his  Badger  in  a  box,  and  for  the 
preservation  of  the  animal,  which  is  of  more 
worth,  and  not  so  easily  obtained  as  in  the 
country ;  in  other  words,  for  the  prolongation  of 
his  tortures,  w^atches  over  his  combat  with  the 
dogs,  and  secures  to  him  fair  play,  according  to 
the  established  rules  of  Badger-law.  The  dogs  in 
the  highest  repute  for  this  Sport,  are  bull-terriers 
or  Jixers.  The  jist  of  the  match,  and  object  of 
betting  are,  the  number  of  times  the  dog  will  draw 
the  badger  from  his  box,  within  a  given  space  of 
time,  determined  by  the  stop-watch.  It  is  almost 
incredible,  considering  the  strength  and  powers 
of  offence,  with  the  sharp  teeth  of  the  Badger, 
how  often  he  will  be  drawn  within  the  usual  time, 
by  a  well-bred  and  thoroughly-trained  dog.  As 
an  illustrious  example,  it  is  recorded  that,  within 


these  few  years^  the  dog  of  a  gemman,  homo 
generosKS,  no  doubt;,  who  had  possessed  the 
valuable  breed  during  thirty  years,  drew  a  fresh, 
strong,  and  game  Badger,  seventy-four  times  in  ten 
minutes ! ! ! 


Printed  by  Morrison  &  Gibb  Limited,  Edinburgh 


Cummings  c 


200  V  ^'^oad 

North  Grafton,  MA  01536 


